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Developing Smart Communities

Accredited Smart Wired electricians and designers are more than ever in demand,

Accredited Smart Wired electricians and designers are more than ever in demand, thanks to the growing uptake of Telstra' Velocity Network.

To date, an impressive sixty-two Telstra Velocity contracts have been signed and work has commenced on 38 Telstra Smart Community sites. The work covers 84,000 lots and includes developers such as Satterleys, Lend Lease, Stockland and a whole of land bank contract with MFS Diversified Group for six developments.

Using its fibre optic network, Telstra Velocity will give residents access to the full range of telecommunications and entertainment services such as Foxtel Digital*, high-speed Internet, free-to-air television and, multiple fixed line telephone services. and Telstra's new Next G mobile network.

Homes in these communities may be Smart Wired at building stage, which means accredited smart wired contractors are required to ensure the cabling is in place to allow residents access to high-quality telecommunication, entertainment and home automation from the moment they move in.

Genesis by Heritage Pacific at Coomera was the first Telstra Smart Community connected via the Velocity network. Lend Lease joined up with Bingara Gorge and The New Rouse Hill in New South Wales, and Stockland added its weight with The Observatory and Riverstone Crossing developments on the Gold Coast.

Satterley contracts in Western Australia include Brighton and Heron Park, as well as Smithfield Village in Cairns. Martha Cove is a prestigious development on the Mornington Peninsula that was one of the first to lead with the Telstra Velocity product in Victoria. Lyons in Darwin is leading Northern Australia with a 1,500 lot development.

Telstra's General Manager of Urban Development says that there has been a very positive reception from the marketplace about the work undertaken so far. "Customer surveys indicate 92% very good/excellent satisfaction with the services," he says.

"There are approximately 600 customers living in Telstra Smart Communities, which will increase by about 1,500 over the next few months as Telstra has acquired through Telstra Smart Community contracts existing networks at Ellenbrook, Capricorn Village and Brighton in Western Australia.

"Customers are indicating to us in survey responses that they see the importance of broadband and the genuine benefits of high speed broadband and the Telstra Smart Community customer rebate."

"We are projecting for 250,000 homes to be Smart Wired in Telstra Smart Communities over the next decade," says John Fennell, CEO, Copper Development Centre. "This creates tremendous opportunity for the industry and the partners if all agree to collaborate and promote the Telstra Smart Communities to their customers."

A free resource

Unsure about how the Telstra Smart Community / Smart Wired partnership works?Need more detail about how Smart Wiring is deployed in a Telstra Smart Community home? Click here for a copy of 'Take your home entertainment beyond your living room' brochure targeted at developers, builders and contractors.

The brochure is available for distribution free of charge. Contact Copper Development Centre on (02) 9380 2000 or email cdc@copperdev.com.

How to get involved in Telstra Smart Community?

Developers and builders can register a new development as a Telstra Smart Community on www.telstrasmartcommunity.com to initiate the planning process.