NBN a different role to speedy GCCC wi-fi

Fifth case of measles detected

A FIFTH case of measles has been confirmed in the Brisbane region, with the latest patient having spent time in the Valley nightclub district on the Easter weekend.

Queensland Health (Metro South) released details on the fifth case yesterday following confirmation last week that four cases had been reported.

The last affected person’s movements included visiting the Fortitude Valley entertainment precinct for four hours from 11pm on Saturday, March 31. Public Health physician Dr Bhakti Vasant said it was vital for residents, if they weren’t already, to be vaccinated for measles.

“Vaccinations are recommended for anyone born after 1965, who has not had two documented doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine or had proven measles,” Dr Vasant said. Measles is one of the most infectious of all communicable diseases. NBN Co has distanced itself from the Gold Coast City Council internet service, launched in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.

A spokesman for the $49 billion NBN project told the Bulletin it would perform a “completely different role” to that of the superfast 1 gigabit per second, $5.5 million council network.

“Whilst the proposed GCCC network will provide fast connectivity to a very small, specifically targeted area it will not provide services to the vast majority of homes and business on the Gold Coast,” the spokesman said.

“The entire NBN network will cost an estimated $49 billion by the time of completion in 2020 – including a substantial amount being spent on building the NBN in the Gold Coast region.

“NBN will be using a range of technologies to provide access to fast broadband to nearly every premises on the Gold Coast, right from the high-rise apartment buildings in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach out to acreage properties in the hinterland areas.”

The council network will be able to host about 28,000 users. It does not say what speeds people will get once numbers on the service rise.

“Approximately 28,000 unique individuals will be able to log in to the Surf Network simultaneously and we aim for the speeds to be as fast as possible,” a council spokesman said.

A number of streets in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach can currently access the network, with the council hoping to roll the service out to businesses and individuals after the Commonwealth Games.

The NBN spokesman said NBN's project was slowly becoming a reality, after first launching on the Gold Coast at Mudgeeraba and Main Beach in 2017.