NICTA developing ultra-fast wireless broadband

Stan Beer
Friday, 16 December 2005 16:37

Your IT - Home IT

Wireless broadband technology which delivers data 200 times faster than current rates is being developed in Melbourne, at the NICTA Victoria Research Laboratory's Gigabit Wireless Laboratory.

Victorian Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Marsha Thomson, said the new technology would rebolutionise broadband communications and is world-leading.

'This new laboratory is a very exciting development as the semi-conductor wireless technology being developed here will enable a host of very high broadband operations across all sectors, including business, health, education and entertainment sectors, and will create new business models in the process,' she said.

Ms Thomson said an example of the power of the technology would lead to wireless download of a two-hour DVD movie in less than 30 seconds - instead of the more than three hours that it usually takes now.

'There is every possibility that the potentially low-cost of this world-leading technology will enable wireless multi-gigabit coverage in the office and at home,' Ms Thomson said.

'This kind of breakthrough technology is exactly what was promised when NICTA's Victoria Research Laboratory was set up in June last year."

Ms Thomson said the Bracks Government had contributed $8 million towards setting up the lab.

She said the funding was derived from the Government's $620 million Science, Technology and Innovation initiative to develop world-class science and technology capabilities through investment in research infrastructure.

'Victoria remains well ahead of the pack in terms of our share of the national ICT R&D pie, accounting for more than 42 per cent of national private sector ICT R&D expenditure,' Ms Thomson said.

'The Bracks Government takes very seriously its responsibility to support our research community, to invest in innovation and research and to drive the commercialisation of research.'