
Norwest Business Park Internet is DOWN FOR 2 WEEKS!
Audio Summary
AI Summary
The video takes a walk around Norwest Business Park, highlighting a significant internet outage affecting the entire area. The internet has been down for five days, starting early Friday morning. The cause is attributed to a third-party contractor upgrading a footpath and bike path along Norwest Boulevard. During this work, the contractor apparently dug up and severed fiber optic cables.
The process to fix the issue is complicated because a specialized horizontal drilling machine was required to repair the damaged cables, and this machine was not available until the current day. Furthermore, temporary workarounds, such as using above-ground cables, were not permitted due to occupational health and safety regulations, as there was a risk of someone tripping over the cables.
The outage has impacted local shopping centers, commercial office buildings, and the post office. The speaker notes that both Telstra and other providers are affected, with many businesses relying on the National Broadband Network (NBN). The speaker personally had to purchase a 5G LTE dongle with an Optus SIM card as it was reported to be the only service with some reception, though upload speeds are extremely limited. Download speeds are also inconsistent.
The Norwest Business Park is also undergoing development, with the former IBM data center being converted into a new AI data center. This expansion includes new air conditioning units and a larger footprint, with a new secure gate for access. The speaker points out the ongoing construction, including trench digging and the installation of new power boxes.
The speaker expresses frustration with the prolonged outage, noting that this is the first internet failure in 15 years for the business park. They also discuss the impracticality of getting Starlink internet due to building regulations and the lack of roof access for satellite dish installation. Even a neighbor with a Starlink dish positioned precariously out of a window is experiencing signal attenuation.
The video shows various locations where digging has occurred, including roundabouts, and points to a large horizontal drill machine from "OS Connect Underground Services" at one of the dig sites, suggesting this is the machine brought in to fix the problem. The speaker observes workers at communication pits and notes that while there's activity, it's unclear if the repair is progressing rapidly. The original IBM data center had a history as Cafe Pacific's global headquarters, which played a role in the park's initial development before IBM acquired it. The speaker concludes by heading back to the shopping center, emphasizing the inconvenience and absurdity of the situation.