Brisbane Airport (BNE) has completed the installation of 250km (155 miles) of full-fiber broadband infrastructure, making it the first airport in Australia to offer its tenants download speeds of 1,000Mbps.
The gigabit network, created with a mixture of multi-mode and single-mode fiber, spans across the commercial, industrial and retail precinct at BNE, providing the technology backbone for future ‘smart city’ concepts. With 600ha of land available for future development, Brisbane Airport has positioned itself as a prime location for sophisticated technology companies to set up their business.
Julieanne Alroe, CEO and managing director of Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC), the airport operator, said, “Over the last decade we have invested heavily in fiber, meticulously crafting the right technology that is resilient, future-proof and goes right to our boundaries. It’s about constructing an environment that is absolutely essential for businesses going into the future.
“The fiber network, combined with an industry grade data center and internet exchange already on-site, means Brisbane Airport is capable of offering business tenants 1,000Mbps upload/download speeds, compared with best-case National Broadband Network (NBN) connection of up to 100Mbps. With gigabit connection available on-site right now, we are paving the way to Brisbane Airport becoming a key technology hub,” said Alroe.
Around 480 businesses are currently located at BNE, servicing a diverse range of industries including freight and aircraft handling, warehousing, transportation and communications, manufacturing, research, property and infrastructure development, education and training, recreation, tourism, accommodation, and leisure and retail. Collectively these businesses employ more than 23,000 people, a number expected to exceed 50,000 by 2029.
In 2020, Brisbane’s new runway will open, effectively doubling the city’s aviation capacity and positioning Brisbane as the future major gateway to Australia.
“There’s no doubt Brisbane’s proactive focus on innovation and technology is fostering new growth opportunities for the city and state and we are proud to play our part in this space building Australia’s future gateway to world,” added Alroe.