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The Backhousers
Whanganui has a lower uptake of internet connectivity in comparison to New Zealand and the wider region of Manawatu-Whanganui. The Backhousers decided to empower our community through a solution, Whispr, that enhances access to quality internet, fostering digital equity and promoting inclusion. By focusing on enhancing access to reliable and highspeed internet, Whispr is removing the barriers that hinder connectivity, education, progress, and innovation through a holistic payment model.
The team utilised four key datasets in the development of the Whispr solution. The fibre coverage area was established from the Whanganui District Council [WDC] map layers, the current network uptake from the 2018 Census Stats, the community needs from the WDC Community Views Survey 2022 and the the decision to establish a fibre based solution as the best environmental solution was based on the 2021 Broadband Emissions Footprint report
Description of Use We used the open layer for fibre coverage in Whanganui to show the coverage available for our potential community customers
Description of Use Whanganui has a lower level of internet access in comparison to New Zealand and the wider region of Manawatu-Whanganui. Our community is also poorer than other parts of NZ and has a higher than average older population.
Description of Use Our solution is based on addressing some points in the community views survey for Whanganui District Council at how the community was feeling in relation to community and their overall wellbeing. The three categories for people reporting their sense of belonging, sense of wellbeing and sense of pride in the neighbourhood all reduced. Sense of belonging 2022 42% - 2021 59% Sense of wellbeing 2022 49% - 2021 54% Sense of pride in neighbourhood 2022 62% - (strong agree/agree) 2021 69%
Description of Use This report states that the higher speed of internet and newer technology used, the lower the emissions are based on power consumption in New Zealand. This allowed us to consider that a program to encourage the community in Whanganui to utilise the fibre network would help reduce emissions overall and also contribute to better social outcomes within our community <li> Emissions are mainly generated by the power consumption in the access network Customer equipment is a major source of power use, with significant efficiency improvement opportunities for fibre Fixed wireless. A study by (Baliga, et al., 2011) investigated the per-user power consumption for different broadband technologies, as a function of the access rate. 23 They found that for higher access rates (e.g. greater than 10 Mbps), PON technologies used in fibre-to-premises installations are more energy efficient than fixed wireless (WiMAX technology at the time). 23 Access rates in this document refer to the headline rate sold to customers. 10 Confidential www.thinkSapere.com The lower emissions footprint of fibre compared to fixed wireless has also been demonstrated in a recent study undertaken by the German Environment Agency. The study found that high-definition video streaming over the fibre optic connection generates 2 gCO2 per hour of video streaming for the data centre and data transmission, whereas emissions over the 5G network are more than double that - 5 gCO2 per hour (German Environment Agency, 2020). It is worth noting that the 5G Radio Access Network has been found to be significantly more energy efficient than legacy fixed wireless technologies – about 90 per cent more energy efficient per trafficunit than legacy 4G networks
Go to Challenge | 7 teams have entered this challenge.
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Go to Challenge | 7 teams have entered this challenge.