Communications
The region boasts excellent communications infrastructure and projects underway that make technology accessible to the region's businesses and communities.
The region is serviced by Copper and Optical Fibre cable enabling a comprehensive range of voice, data and Internet services.
Telephone
Mobile phone coverage and high speed internet access is rapidly expanding to cover much of the region. Nearly all of the region's population has access to land based telephone services.
The GSM mobile telephone network provides very good coverage along the coastal strip from Perth to Augusta, and to many major inland towns. Less populated inland areas are serviced by the CDMA mobile network. Continuing improvements to mobile phone coverage for inland areas of the South West is needed.
Mobile phone services are available through the carriers Telstra, Optus and Vodaphone.
Telstra and other carriers are constantly improving infrastructure capacity in the South West in response to increasing demand and population growth in the region.
Internet
Numerous Internet Service Providers (ISP's) operate throughout the South West with untimed local call access.
Broadband internet connection is available in the larger urban areas and is progressively being introduced to rural areas.
A major step forward in the region's telecommunications infrastructure is the link between the Bunbury campus of Edith Cowan University to its other campuses via a high capacity microwave link.
Television and Radio
Most South West residents receive television from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC TV), Golden West Network (GWN), and WIN Television. Some shires within the region have installed SBS television for broadcast to their communities.
Perth TV stations can also be accessed in most of the region by installing a larger television aerial.
SBS and ABC TV are now broadcasting free to view digital transmission in some areas of the South West providing improved picture and sound quality, and widescreen images.
Foxtel cable subscription television services are available.
ABC Radio and a number of AM and FM frequency commercial and community radio services are also available throughout most of the region.
Telecentres
Telecentres (technology resource facilities) are community owned and managed facilities linked via satellite and the Internet.
Located in many smaller towns, Telecentres offer vocational training, information technology and government services to people in our communities who may not otherwise have access.