Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 30 May 2007 13:21
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 3
One way or another billions of dollars are likely to be committed, within the next few months to increasing the speed of broadband services to most of Australia's population, but despite the huge focus on broadband. Accurate information and informed debate on real needs, expected benefits and commercial drivers is woeful.
Take the Financial Review, for example: the newspaper of choice for the captains of industry and our political leaders. On its front page on Tuesday 29 May, rubbing shoulders with reports on matters of national importance was an item that opened: "Andrew Bryson isn't sure he needs the new faster broadband connection that the phone companies and the politicians want him to have."
Andrew, it turns out is perfectly happy with his 1.5Mbs ADSL service which is "a damn sight faster than dialup." Well bully for Andrew, bellwether of national broadband demand. The industry can rest on its collective laurels, the pollies can relax and rely on Telstra and others to continue the rollout of ADSL services. Until they turn to page 49 of the same edition.
There they will see, splashed across of the top of the page, "Slow broadband hurting SMEs." More anecdotes, this time about Sydney-based aerobatics company Red Baron. Managing director Joek Haski has seen broadband in Europe and is not happy with what he can get in Australia. However nowhere does the article mention what is meant by slow broadband.
The articles does however report 'serious' research into business communications requirements. "According to the Australian SME telecommunications white paper - a survey of 5000 small and medium businesses 71 percent say they would not be in business without communications." We are not talking just broadband here, but the full gamut of communications. The surprise here is that the figure is 71 percent, not 100 percent.
