THE region may lose up to 15 businesses if something is not done about bringing ADSL broadband to the community, according to a group of traders.
The group of about 15 business people said it was forced to travel long distances to access broadband internet and some members had considered relocating to Melbourne.
Consisting of graphic designers, musicians, photographers, a golf business and a dog coat manufacturer, the group qualified under the government's and Telstra's regional connect program for ADSL broadband more than 12 months
ago yet still has no access.
The group collected 130 signatures on Telstra's expression of interest forms to qualify for the regional connect program.
In June last year, the council rejected a plan to erect a Telstra telecommunications tower on Mt Franklin.
Hepburn Shire Council chief executive officer Victor Szwed said the community strongly supported that decision.
"In most instances council is supportive of mobile phone tower applications but could not do so in this instance because of the special nature of Mt Franklin including heritage, landscape and cultural issues," he said.
"Telstra had identified other potential sites suitable for phone towers and has had 12 months to proceed, to provide mobile phone services to this area."
Aileen and Kurt Peer who own and operate Innova Pacific, Lemon Myrtle Essentials, said while they liked the area, it was time to make a decision about the future of their business.
Mr Peer said being cut off from the world wide web was causing technical and financial problems.
"It's certainly not good enough if you can't use these services," he said.
Jill Moon who operates Cozy Canine from home said her internet speed was not fast enough.
Ballarat MHR Catherine King blamed the government's failure to develop a plan for telecommunications in Australia for the problem.
"The Howard Government has completely failed to tackle this as a national problem," she said.
Ms King said businesses were taking more than half an hour to email information and could not use basic services including internet banking.
"In today's information economy this is no way to do business." she said.
She said Telstra claimed that it didn't have the resources and the government was not going to put them back in after privatising Telstra.
"Regional areas should not have to put up with second best," Ms King said.
Meanwhile, internet users in the Leonards Hill area will get faster download speeds following Telstra's upgrade of the Leonards Hill exchange.
More than 30 people and businesses expressed interest in getting broadband.
The upgrade has been made possible thanks to interest in the service expressed on Telstra's ADSL Demand Register and help from the government's Broadband Connection Program.
Telstra Country Wide area general manager for South Western Region Bill Mundy said he was pleased people in the community valued and relied on the internet.
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