What does the National Broadband Network mean to you?

The Federal Government and private sector will invest up to $43 billion over eight years in a super-fast national broadband network, in the “single biggest infrastructure decision in Australia’s history”.

The significance of this announcement reaches far beyond the actual construction implications. The proposed National Broadband Network will affect how Australian’s do business, communicate, consume media and compete internationally.

There will also be an immediate effect, despite the projected 8 year roll-out, as companies begin positioning for what will be a very different future.

The fibre-to-the-premise network will run to 90% of homes and businesses offering speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. The remaining homes and businesses will be reached via wireless and satellite technologies offering speeds of 12 megabits per second.

Companies with strong online businesses should do well now as their future now seems so much brighter.

Superfast broadband will accelerate the move of content online and media companies with strong online strategies will be the best positioned in this exciting future.

Futurist and digital media commentator Mark Pesce wrote in today’s SMH:

Very high-speed broadband of the kind the Government promises will completely change our expectations for the internet. It’s not simply that pages will load faster (and they may not, as that’s more to do with the computers serving those pages than the computer displaying them), it’s the new things that become possible…..

The next-generation broadband network (NBN) opens up possibilities we can’t even dream of today, because we don’t yet live in the world of super high-speed broadband….

Next-generation smartphones will tie into the network to become our points of presence within a “cloud” of information about ourselves, created by ourselves, and shared with those we love and trust.

Having just returned from two digital media conferences in the USA, and observing media consumption habits there, the National Broadband Network announcement seems very timely. Australia has been lagging behind much of the Western world with our slower Internet speeds, and our current network will clearly not cope with, or accept the demands of emerging media.

Whilst in the US I posted about how web technology is changing the face of television there. Privately, I was lamenting the fact that the existing Australian network probably wouldn’t foster such innovation. Suddenly, that is all about to change.

If traditional media in Australia wasn’t already worried (and they are), then they will be terrified now. Most haven’t positioned themselves well for a digital future. Radio has been avoiding the issue and delaying a digital launch. Television is reluctantly launching this year with half-hearted digital stations. Press has been seeing ad-sales drop rapidly as online eats into their readership and influence. Only Kerry Stokes and his Seven Network seem remotely prepared for change.

Australian businesses must begin taking their digital presence seriously. The game is about to change dramatically and those companies that are prepared will be in a position to make a quantum leap.

Social networks will explode. Web video will be fast and effective and ever-present. Advertising and marketing will change forever. New businesses will be launched at a rapid rate, betting on every aspect of a high speed digital future.

Nobody should under-estimate the implications of the National Broadband Network. We were already at a turning point in history, but it just received a kick-along.

Will you be ready or will you be left behind?

Technorati Profile

Posted by Craig on April 7th, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Posted under: Digital | social media | Strategy