The New South Wales government has partnered with Telstra to deliver internet upgrades to more than 2,000 public schools across the state.
Expected to cost AU$328 million, the project is expected to see more than 5,200 km of fibre be rolled out, which the government boasted would increase internet speeds by more than 10-fold.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the upgrade would deliver faster, more reliable internet access to enable more reliable video conferencing and quicker downloads.
“This upgrade will bypass existing network constraints meaning all our schools will be on a high-speed connection in the next 18 months, three years ahead of schedule,” she said.
The project will also give students access to new immersive learning opportunities, Mitchell added.
This deal will extend the long-running partnership that has existed between the NSW government and Telstra.
“We know that digital inclusion, particularly for students, is a lead indicator for future employment opportunities,” Telstra enterprise group executive Michael Ebeid said.
“That’s why we’re thrilled to be working with the NSW Department of Education to ensure all students, regardless of where they live, will have access to the amazing learning opportunities that quality, high-speed connectivity brings.”
Back in April, Telstra also partnered with the Victorian government to provide an additional 21,000 internet dongles to students as part of efforts to provide internet access for remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It followed the Victorian government announcing it would provide 4,000 SIM cards and 1,000 SIM-enabled dongle devices to students who did not have access to digital technologies.
