The communications revolution is shifting the national and global focus towards e-health, e-education and smart grids. Increasingly we are seeing governments around the world undertaking national broadband initiatives as awareness grows that broadband infrastructure can also be used by other sectors such as healthcare, education and government services as well as by smart grids and digital media. Another key reason is that, in the context of the recent economic crisis, they see this development as a new method of economic innovation.
Such an approach will increasingly need to be based on a trans-sector concept and these digital developments need to be able tap into the economic and social multiplier effect that new broadband and smart grid infrastructure investments have to offer - the same infrastructure can be used by all. For this to become economically viable, open infrastructure needs to be available to these sectors on a utilities basis. It does not make economic sense for all of these sectors to develop and run their own communications infrastructure. The economic and social benefits of such an approach makes it necessary for the government to take a leadership role to make this happen.
Key concepts: communications, jobs, broadband, Australia, CO2 emissions, smart grids, digital media