Frequently Asked Questions

What is VicSmart?

VicSmart is an $89.3 million Victorian Government initiative under which a new fibre optic broadband network will be provided to Victorian government schools over four years.

The VicSmart initiative was announced in the 2004-2005 State Budget and was officially launched in October 2005.

What does VicSmart mean for my child?

VicSmart will open up a new world of learning for all Victorian government school students. VicSmart means a faster and more efficient internet connection and access to the latest online information. Students, teachers, administrative staff and schools as a whole will all benefit from a high speed broadband connection.

For further details, see the Benefits section of this website.

What is the broadband network?

The broadband network is a wide area network that will provide Victorian government schools with a ten megabit per second (10Mbps) fibre optic bandwidth connection.

The program to upgrade Victorian government schools from 4Mbps to 10Mbps was announced on 5 November 2008. Telstra will be commencing upgrades in November 2008 with the majority of schools expected to be upgraded to 10Mbps by the end of June 2009.

Who is the new network provider?

Telstra was appointed as the provider of the new network by the Victorian Government under its Telecommunications Purchasing and Management Strategy (TPAMS).

Who should I contact for more information?

Schools requiring more technical related information should visit the ICT in schools website or phone the DEECD Service Desk on 1800 641 943.

Parents seeking more information on the ICT facilities available in their school should contact their school Principal.