Well, it’s been quite some time since our last connectivity update, a lot has changed! The world is becoming increasingly connected, with the rise of Industry 4.0 technologies such as Low Earth Orbit, LTE private networking, SCADA and Internet of Things being deployed across Australia from the cities to the regions.
What’s changed lately?
- The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) market is heating up with Starlink and OneWeb now in operation, with Amazon’s Project Kuiper and several other smaller projects also in the works. This satellite boom has been made possible thanks to the recent advancements in space launch services and reusable rockets, resulting in a significantly lower cost to launch a satellite into orbit.
- Private Mobile Networks (LTE / 5G) are becoming increasingly important in mining and oil & gas applications concerning safety, autonomous vehicles, asset management and field connectivity. We have seen continued advancements in LTE technologies and the availability of the technology to be used in commercial applications. MarchNet has been installing private LTE networks to improve services in non-line-of-sight applications for over 5 years.
- LoRa / IoT / SCADA technologies have become the industry norm in various applications, allowing secure connectivity to monitor and manage field assets across geographically sparse regions. With the rise of LoRa (Long Range) WAN devices, it is now possible to wirelessly monitor and connect devices up to 14 km away.
- Dedicated Fibre builds in regional remote areas are still proving a costly endeavour. Government-funded projects and the rise of NBN’s Enterprise Ethernet product have helped to expand Australia’s fibre footprint significantly to more regional hubs, however in remote areas further out, we are seeing better value in pairing terrestrial fibre with a wireless point-to-point network to cover the last mile.
- Point-to-Point Wireless is still considered best in class in regional and remote areas with unavailable dedicated fibre. We are increasingly seeing a combination of Microwave, Satellite and LTE technologies out in the field to increase overall bandwidth throughput and provide always-on connectivity.
MarchNet caters exclusively to remote and regional businesses all around Australia. Call the MarchNet Sales Team on 1300 627 244 to learn more about our services and how we can keep your business online.
