Time for consumer and business involvement in NBN, says DeloitteDOWNLOAD |
Now is the time for consumers and business operators to be involved in the public debate and planning of Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN), according to professional services firm, Deloitte.
In launching Deloitte’s ‘National Broadband Network – A user’s perspective’ report today, Damien Tampling, the firm’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) leader, said these two groups will drive the success or failure of the NBN.
“It is imperative that the people who will actually be using the NBN are considered from the beginning and not once the NBN’s infrastructure has already been built, or even at the implementation study stage,” Mr Tampling said.
“Until now, the discussions have revolved around the building and financing of this major infrastructure project. The focus needs to now equally turn to the groups that will ultimately drive the project’s success.
“The NBN has the potential to completely transform the way we work, live and operate in Australia if we carefully plan and maximise the infrastructure’s potential. And that will only be achieved if the end-user consumer and businesses’ needs are factored into the planning.”
Mr Tampling said the Federal Government needs to more closely identify what impact the NBN will have on specific industries and businesses to consider likely drivers of end-user demand properly.
He added that creating a strong and competitive operating environment is also essential, as are the factors that will drive consumers to move to the new network.
“The NBN is likely to bring a number of unexpected issues to the surface. As such, legislation will also be progressively required to cope with a converged digital economy where issues of privacy, service provision, access regimes, regulation, competition and security are redefined as a consequence of faster broadband speeds,” Mr Tampling said.
The report also:
- Highlights many of the likely end-user demands that should be factored into the design, construction and delivery of the NBN
- Analyses the NBN’s short, medium and long-term opportunities
- Provides relevant international examples of how broadband infrastructure is used overseas
- Discusses the uses of the NBN in ‘smart home’ automation, e-health, smart metering, telecommunications, television (including hardware and software), home phones, video conferencing technology, education and commerce.
It concludes by identifying seven key factors that must be considered for the proposed NBN to be successfully adopted by mainstream Australia. They are:
- End-user retail packaging and migration
- Competition and regulation
- NBN Company funding and structuring
- Design and construction
- Support for innovation and delivery of new applications
- Disruption due to the Federal Government election cycle
- Vertical and horizontal integration of private sector industries, and government departments and utilities.
The report ‘National Broadband Network – A user’s perspective’ is available at www.deloitte.com.au
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Time for consumer and business involvement in NBN, says Deloitte
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Contacts
- Name:
- Petros Kosmopoulos
- Company:
- Deloitte Australia
- Job Title:
- Corporate Affairs & Communications
- Phone:
- Tel: +61 3 9671 7621, Mobile: +61 4 0700 0926
- pkosmopoulos@deloitte.com.au
- Name:
- Damien Tampling
- Company:
- Deloitte Australia
- Job Title:
- Partner, Corporate Finance
- Phone:
- Tel: +61 2 9322 5890, Mobile: +61 409 100 905
- dtampling@deloitte.com.au