CSIRO and NICTA to test drive new apps on the NBN

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 02 June 2011 14:33

IT Industry - Deals

The CSIRO and NICTA have signed a four-year agreement with NBN Co giving them, through their recently established Australian Centre for Broadband Innovation (ACBI), access to the nascent national broadband network (NBN) for the development and testing of broadband technologies and applications. They have also announced the director and advisory board of ACBI.

Mike Kaiser, principal of government relations and external affairs for NBN Co, said: "We want our leading broadband innovators to access the NBN as soon as possible so they can road test their technologies and services to ensure they are 'NBN ready'. With this arrangement we will have that confidence, and also know that people with expertise have early access for the development of new applications."

CSIRO and NICTA are working together in the Australian Centre for Broadband Innovation (ACBI), recently established with the support of the NSW Government to develop and evaluate applications and services that are enabled by widespread availability of broadband.

Dr Ian Oppermann, director of the CSIRO ICT Centre said that having access to the National Broadband Network would enable CSIRO and NICTA to verify the performance and effectiveness of their broadband technologies and services with real people in the real world."

NICTA's acting CEO, Dr Phil Robertson, added: "NICTA and the ABC have been testing a 'Social TV' service and new set-top box technology in a fibre-to-the-home trial at the Parkbridge housing estate near Liverpool in south-west Sydney. We see the MoU as an exciting opportunity to expand this work to other NBN early-release sites."

ACBI Director and advisory board named

CSIRO and NICTA have also announced the appointment of Colin Griffith as the inaugural director of ACBI. He established the ABC's award winning online service and managed the ABC's New Media and Innovation Division. More recently he has been general manager of the NSW Government Chief Information Office, responsible for promoting new forms of service delivery for health, education and other government services.

He will be supported by an advisory committee comprising: Malcolm Long (chair), chairman of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA); Richard Windeyer, first assistant secretary of the Federal Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy; Michael Coutts-Trotter director general NSW Department of Finance and Services; Barry Buffier, deputy director-general, NSW Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services; Mike Kaiser, principal, government relations and external affairs NBN Co; Dr Ian Oppermann, director, CSIRO ICT Centre and Dr Terry Percival, NICTA director, broadband and the digital economy.