Free Community Wi-fi project to get Douglas online

Tuesday December 16 2014, 11:20am

Douglas is getting on-line. (Image by Boyd Robertson)

An ambitious project to provide free community Wi-Fi across Port Douglas could boost visitor numbers and provide new opportunities for businesses to access consumer information.

The project, a brainchild of local economic development body Douglas Inc, in association with Cairns Community Enterprise and Bendigo Bank, would aim to tap into the increasing demand for internet connectivity by today's tourists.

Bendigo Bank’s internal telecommunications company, Bendigo Bank Telco, will provide the equipment, technical expertise and internet connection for the project, which will require users to provide login details such as their names, email addresses and postcode in order to access.

Those details would feed into a central database which could be used by local businesses to improve marketing and better identify visitor behaviour and interests.

Three initial test zones for the wi-fi rollout have been selected including the Reef Marina, Four Mile Beach and the northern end of Macrossan Street between Port Village and the markets.

An initial test at the Marina in October proved the idea was technically sound, with signal successfully broadcast over about a 100-metre radius.

Rollout in the first test areas is expected to be implemented during February and March 2015.

The final scope and capacity of the wi-fi project will be worked out as it nears completion, with developers needing to strike a balance between speed, data limits and user numbers.

Gerry Ireland at Douglas Inc explained that the availability of wi-fi internet was increasingly being seen as a requirement by tourists when picking a destination.

“If we want to be a region that is relevant to tourists and travellers in the 21st Century we need to front up about becoming a digital destination,” Mr Ireland said.

“If you look at Port Douglas right now it’s filled with people that are getting off buses or getting onto tour boats, and all of them have a smartphone or a tablet in their hand.

“They are taking photos and instantly sharing them with everyone they know, they are going on websites like Tripadvisor and rating the experiences they have, and they are using it to plan the rest of their trip.

“The expectation of wi-fi availability means that if we don’t have it, it’s a reason for people to not come here - free wi-fi would be a very big improvement.”

Newsport Publishing managing director Sam Cullen agreed, saying free community wi-fi would enables Port Douglas to better connect with travellers.

“The idea of visitors being able to ‘relax connected’ in the region has been identified as a positive move to service with the growing needs of family, corporate and fully independent travellers,” he said.

The project, with a delivery budget of $100,000, has already received $7,500 in seed funding for a functioning rollout at the Reef Marina, with Douglas Inc seeking funding from the local business for completion and operation of the wi-fi network.

Mr Ireland pointed to the success of public Wi-Fi projects in Cairns, the Gold Coast and Hong Kong hotels as examples of the need for such a project in Port Douglas.

The project's indicative launch date is before Carnivale 2015.