Back in 1974 Arthur C Clarke predicted a future where connected computers in the home would allow us to do banking and conduct our work anywhere in the world. 15 years later Tim Berners-Lee created the worldwide web. Now a group of Australian interests wants to create its own vision, of communications for 2030 – again, fifteen years from now.
You’d have to assume that such a future will see a greater reliance on fibre, so surely this consortium is looking at what surpasses the current multi-technology mix approach. Well, David Tudehope, CEO of Macquarie Telecom, says the people he talks to are happy with the NBN approach and its more a question of what goes on top of it. Another member of the consortium, Peter Strong, Executive Director at the council of small business of Australia, seems more concerned about the need for speed, at home as well as at work. Does the current plan address that need?
Benoit Felton, CEO of Diffraction Analysis, says Australia needs to return to accepting that fibre is the future. If the multi-technology mix is a step towards it, we still need a plan about how to get beyond it. And he says the only sensible approach is to have a spin-off venture from Telstra take control of the build and operation.
Perhaps then Australia’s 15 year vision will be as optimistic as Arthur C Clarke’s.
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Europe’s weakening economy and a downbeat Draghi – time to write off a rate rise?
Weak data from Europe and a downbeat Draghi. I ask NAB’s David de Garis if this scuppers the chance of any rate move from the ECB this year.
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Tapping in to the Design Crowd
When I needed a design for my new self-published novel I turned to an Aussie design site to crowdsource the work.
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Separation: The UK experience
How can the UK experience of BT’s separation inform our understanding of Telstra’s future? We talk to the key UK players to get the lay of the land.
