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Easyweb’s free Community WiFi service, on behalf of Cairns Regional Council went live at the end of April.  Back then it operated on two access points at the Esplanade and a mobile wireless internet connection.  Work has continued on the project since then with expansion of the service area, a new fibre network and services going live in Babinda and City Libraries.

14 access points now provide robust coverage to locals and visitors alike from the sound shell to the tourist information booth and everything in between.   A secure control panel allows Cairns Regional Council administrators to adjust time and download limited per user.  At the libraries a separate login system is integrated to allow greater time, download and connection speeds for library members.

The Esplanade service has already proved extremely popular with more than 1600 sessions on peak days.  iPhone users account for more than half of all users accessing the WiFi and Android devices come in a distant second.

Launching the service in May, Mayor Bob Manning suggested that "live-streaming of the Premier League soccer [was] proving particularly popular".

"Free public wi-fi has become an expectation of travellers and, if we are to compete in a global tourism market, we need to meet these expectations," Cr Manning said.

Easyweb completed the pilot project on tight timelines and with minimal interruption to the busy lagoon area.

The trial will continue until the end of this year with Easyweb providing data detailing where and when the WiFi network is accessed.  If successful, the pilot will see a wider rollout of the free service throughout the Cairns 

Life in Milyakburra just got a little less remote with the installation of a free public internet system. 

The tiny community is on Bickerton Island halfway between Groote Eylandt and the rugged mainland coast of the Northern Territory.  But its 60 regular residents now find themselves more connected to the rest of the world than ever before with the new WiFi and satellite system.

Designed and installed by Easyweb Digital, a specialist WiFi company with offices in Darwin, the system provides blanket WiFi coverage to the entire township.  Locals and visitors are able to log on with any WiFi enabled device with a single click.

Backhaul to the system is provided by a dedicated satellite dish mounted next the Milyakburra Business Centre.

The project, supported by DEEWR, PaCE, Lagulalya Aboriginal Corporation, MJD Foundation, NT Library, Anindilyakwa Land Council, and AIRemote, provides a unique solution to a unique challenge.  With even fixed line telephone services to the community provided via wireless link back to an exchange on Groote Eylandt and no mobile coverage at all, communications in the island community have always been an issue.

The community was recently quoted $80,000 by a major telco just to conduct a feasibility study to tackle the problem.  For little more than half that cost, the community is now connected to the internet for the first time.

The new year brings a fresh start with a complete makeover for the Easyweb website.  The site has been updated to help our clients find what they’re looking for and reflect our expanded range of products and services.

The website was produced entirely in-house by our talented team of designers, developers and content producers. We’ll  be continuing to make changes over the next few months, so if you have any suggestions, drop us a line at info@easywebdigital.com.