Broadband Future in Canberra

Greetings from the University of Canberra where Robin Eckermann is talking about the synergy between wireless and fibre optic broadband at the  "Converging on an NBN Future: Content, Connectivity, and Control", 9am, 9 October 2012. Like many of the speakers Robin has long term involvement in formulating Australian broadband policy, as well as planning real broadband networks. He emphasises that the digital economy is already here and we need to think about uses for broadband, not just an emphasis on higher speeds. The obvious one I see is in higher education, which is being transformed by on-line access.

Converging on an NBN Future: Content, Connectivity, and Control

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is the most significant Australian national infrastructure project in decades. It promises to revolutionise the underlying telecommunications infrastructure of the nation while reshaping Australia’s policy environment for telecommunications. Broadband is not just about higher speeds and ubiquitous connectivity but a complex social system that can affect the various aspects of social productivity, enhanced community engagement, improved education and health systems.

The NBN is notable for the level of criticism it has attracted, principally within the fractured political domain, but also from those who see alternative visions of network connectivity based on mobile communications. Its ongoing deployment may be affected by changes to governments; however its fundamental rationale and design is already remaking our use of the Internet, through changes to regulation, consumer expectations, service delivery and more.

The Symposium will offer an exciting and challenging look at the critical questions and issues we face as the NBN commences widespread operations in Australia. We bring together scholars, industry analysts and participants, and government regulators and policy makers to address the important issues that arise. We invite industry professionals, academics, policymakers and the public to engage in this public discourse about how we can better adopt new technologies and how we can enhance social connectedness.

SPEAKERS
Matthew Allen (Curtin University)
Keith Besgrove (Dept. of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy)
Sean Casey (NBN Co. Limited)
Tony Eyers (Tektel)
Robin Eckermann (Robin Eckermann & Associates)
Gerard Goggin (University of Sydney)
Geoffrey Heydon(CSIRO Australian Centre for Broadband Innovation)
Gwang Jae Kim (Hanyang Cyber University)
Catherine Middleton (Ryerson University)
Lesley Osborne (Australian Communications and Media Authority)
Franco Papandrea (University of Canberra)
Sora Park(University of Canberra)
Rosemary Sinclair (UNSW Australian School of Business)


ABOUT THE RESEARCH TEAM

This symposium is part of an ongoing investigation of the “Broadband and Society” research team launched in Oct 2011, in order to systematically review the users, industries and the government in adopting new technologies. We held our first public symposium in Dec 2011 in Perth.

Dr. Matthew Allen (Professor, Curtin University)
Dr. Catherine Middleton(Professor, Ryerson University)
Dr. Sora Park(Associate Professor, University of Canberra)
Dr. Chun Liu(Assistant Professor, Southwest Jiaotong University)


*This is a free event. Lunch and tea will be provided.