Australia - Broadbanding Regional Australia

Synopsis

This report was archived in September 2007 and has not been updated since June 2007. All around the world countries are recognising the fact that their national telecommunications infrastructure is vital to the national interest – both socially and economically – and, in light of this, governments are increasing their involvement in telecommunications infrastructure. A large part of this infrastructure exists as a natural monopoly, and government policies and regulations need to be adjusted to reflect that reality. Furthermore, a significant section – around a third – of the infrastructure resides in areas where it will not be economically viable to upgrade the existing copper-based infrastructure to a fibre-based information highway. In June 2007 the government took the initiative to create infrastructure based competition in regional Australia.