Poor internet connection remains a major bugbear for the Albion Park Chamber of Commerce and residents.
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Business owner Harry Osmond said he had better connection to his online security system in the Greek Islands than from his home in Albion Park.
“I travel a lot and I live not even two kilometres from my business and get better internet access in Jamaica, Bulgaria and the Greek Islands,” Mr Osmond said.
“I have been to third world countries and have had instant internet and I can’t even get it at my own house in Albion Park.”
Mr Osmond said the slow speed of internet had affected not only how he ran his business, but also his personal life.
“I have to use a dongle [portable device] which costs a fortune and when I have family at my house none of them can access the internet.”
Despite the former Labor Government’s commitment to rollout the National Broadband Network in Albion Park by 2015, the 2014 Sensis e-Business report revealed that only two per cent of small and medium-sized businesses had internet through the NBN.
Albion Park Chamber secretary Graeme Morrison said parts of the community didn’t even have dial-up.
“We fought so hard to get involved in the broadband and we were told we were included in the second rollout in 2015 and now that has all come to nothing because of the change of government,’’ he said.
“We gave the government eight months to come back to us with a timeline and then we wrote to them to find out what was happening – but we just got the usual letter basically saying they weren’t sure.’’
Mr Morrison said surveys conducted in the Albion Park area had identified a “very large proportion” of home businesses in the area.
“To be a successful home business you need reliable and quick telecommunications,” he said.
A NBN spokesperson said the NBN was being rolled out in stages, using a variety of technologies.
“When the NBN comes to further parts of the Illawarra region, including Albion Park, we will inform the community and update the rollout maps on the NBN Co website,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said rollout momentum was building with construction under way in many parts of the Illawarra.
