BENDIGO will need multiple ways to deal with internet and phone shortfalls exacerbated by the Commonwealth Games, an expert says as the city's council tilts for permanent solutions.
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Paul Guerra has stopped short of disclosing how much extra capacity might be needed when Bendigo events kick off in March 2026, saying his consultations with organisers are private.
Managing the telecommunications network with huge crowds crisscrossing the state will be tricky, the industry stalwart and current head of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says.
"But the advantage we've got in being the 'events capital of the world' is that we know how to do this," Mr Guerra said.
Bendigo council gears up for digital battle
The comments come as the City of Greater Bendigo prepares for a series of summits that could end with the entire local government sector pushing for better digital connectivity throughout regional and rural Australia.
That push is about permanent solutions and could feed into the council's existing focus on "legacy" games investments that outlast the two-weeks of sports.
Multiple councillors have underscored that hope including Cr Margaret O'Rourke, who has worked in telecommunications leadership roles.
"We need to make sure that it is not just temporary activity that happens because the growth [in population] is continuing more and more," she said last week.
Her comments came before the council voted to lobby fellow local governments for joint resolutions targeting state and federal governments.
The push would come through upcoming gatherings of the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Australian Local Government Association.
It is not just host cities like Bendigo that may need to make sure their internet is games ready, Cr Matthew Evans said.
Smaller communities' accommodation will fill up too, he has said after drafting the motion the council considered last week.
Many areas outside regional cities already have problems like blackspots, Cr Evans said.
Focus should be host cities, transport corridors, Guerra says
Mr Guerra's advice is for people to divorce the two issues of blackspots and games demands.
Both need to be dealt with but the existing network outside of host cities will only need minor tweaks to be strictly games ready, he said.
That is because organisers want the bulk of the games' tourists to stay in Melbourne and travel out to the regions for sports and cultural events.
So the main focus will be on making sure host cities and major travel routes can handle extra phone and internet pressure, Mr Guerra said.
That will likely mean temporary infrastructure, not just permanent upgrades, he said.
"You see it with events like the MCG when it's full, or the Royal Melbourne Show," Mr Guerra said.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
