Table 5. CASE STUDY 3 Education... | Emerald Publishing

Table 5.

CASE STUDY 3 Education Queensland procurement issues: a one size fits all approach

Background	Problem statement	Outcome	Gold star solution
Education Queensland (EQ) Bandwidth Upgrade Program (Queensland Government, 2021) - In December 2021, EQ signed a $187m 5-year agreement with Telstra to upgrade bandwidth in Queensland state schools. Telstra would also invest $109m in upgrading over 370 exchange service areas across Queensland. ADSL is the main broadband technology via telephone exchanges, so the upgrades were likely for ADSL exchanges. Phase 1 commenced in March 2022 to increase average school bandwidth speeds to 1.6 Mbps per student. Phase 2 began in 2024 to increase speeds to 5 Mbps per student by 2026. As of September 2024, 56 schools have been connected to fibre optic for the first time, with more isolated communities to be connected using low earth orbiting satellites	ADSL is an aging technology, already replaced with improved connectivity in many regional communities, which brings into question the public benefit of value for money in this case study. Details of the 5-year contract with Telstra have not been transparent. No announcements have been made as to when QLD State Schools can expect better connectivity from this program and how this will also benefit communities and other Government services in rural and remote areas	Some isolated QLD State Schools, like Jericho, Kindon, Forsayth, and Mistake Creek, still face connectivity issues despite investments. Forsayth and Kindon were previously on congested Telstra mobile networks, inadequate during peak seasons. A 5-year contract with a single provider, without considering the specific needs and available technologies for each school, has also led to missed opportunities e.g., free business-grade Fixed Wireless from a local WISP. Education Queensland declined the offer due to procurement restrictions, highlighting the limitations of a one-size-fits-all approach to connectivity. Schools such as Boulia, Morven, Augathella, Surat, and Quilpie now have nbn fibre, but funding for ADSL upgrades hasn’t benefited communities, small business or government services and has been superseded by nbn fibre, though schools remain on Telstra services, which are inadequate	A needs and availability analysis would have identified appropriate place-based solutions. The funds invested could have been better leveraged to deliver long-term connectivity solutions for schools, other government facilities, and entire communities. Many towns identified by the QLD Government program in 2022, including Cunnamulla, Emerald, Alpha, Yeppoon, and Barcaldine, now have access to nbn Fibre to the Premise (FTTP). Once nbn FTTP is rolled out the ADSL/exchange is phased out and can no longer be accessed by consumers and small businesses. FTTP customers have access to improved connectivity through the nbn, making the decision to upgrade ADSL exchanges in these areas a poor long-term investment

Background	Problem statement	Outcome	Gold star solution
Education Queensland (EQ) Bandwidth Upgrade Program (Queensland Government, 2021) - In December 2021, EQ signed a $187m 5-year agreement with Telstra to upgrade bandwidth in Queensland state schools. Telstra would also invest $109m in upgrading over 370 exchange service areas across Queensland. ADSL is the main broadband technology via telephone exchanges, so the upgrades were likely for ADSL exchanges. Phase 1 commenced in March 2022 to increase average school bandwidth speeds to 1.6 Mbps per student. Phase 2 began in 2024 to increase speeds to 5 Mbps per student by 2026. As of September 2024, 56 schools have been connected to fibre optic for the first time, with more isolated communities to be connected using low earth orbiting satellites	ADSL is an aging technology, already replaced with improved connectivity in many regional communities, which brings into question the public benefit of value for money in this case study. Details of the 5-year contract with Telstra have not been transparent. No announcements have been made as to when QLD State Schools can expect better connectivity from this program and how this will also benefit communities and other Government services in rural and remote areas	Some isolated QLD State Schools, like Jericho, Kindon, Forsayth, and Mistake Creek, still face connectivity issues despite investments. Forsayth and Kindon were previously on congested Telstra mobile networks, inadequate during peak seasons. A 5-year contract with a single provider, without considering the specific needs and available technologies for each school, has also led to missed opportunities e.g., free business-grade Fixed Wireless from a local WISP. Education Queensland declined the offer due to procurement restrictions, highlighting the limitations of a one-size-fits-all approach to connectivity. Schools such as Boulia, Morven, Augathella, Surat, and Quilpie now have nbn fibre, but funding for ADSL upgrades hasn’t benefited communities, small business or government services and has been superseded by nbn fibre, though schools remain on Telstra services, which are inadequate	A needs and availability analysis would have identified appropriate place-based solutions. The funds invested could have been better leveraged to deliver long-term connectivity solutions for schools, other government facilities, and entire communities. Many towns identified by the QLD Government program in 2022, including Cunnamulla, Emerald, Alpha, Yeppoon, and Barcaldine, now have access to nbn Fibre to the Premise (FTTP). Once nbn FTTP is rolled out the ADSL/exchange is phased out and can no longer be accessed by consumers and small businesses. FTTP customers have access to improved connectivity through the nbn, making the decision to upgrade ADSL exchanges in these areas a poor long-term investment

Source(s): Authors’ own work