Australia - National Broadband Network - Infrastructure Analyses

Synopsis

The report provides background analysis on various infrastructure issues. First, it gives some high-level strategic analysis of the NBN as national infrastructure, as distinct from just telecoms infrastructure. It covers principles such as open networks and the impact this has on infrastructure affordability.

It also addresses the issues that it will need to consider as national infrastructure – the specific requirements of other sectors such as energy (smart grids), healthcare (e-health) and digital media.

Furthermore it provides background analysis of the various forms of infrastructure that will be employed in the NBN and how this will be different from the existing infrastructure. It explains basic infrastructure, the role of copper in the transitional period, fibre networks and the specific opportunities this brings to the market, both in metro and rural areas; plus the various issues in relation to wireless infrastructure, including satellites.

With a new government changes to the infrastructure plans are envisaged with a greater emphasis on FttN. In the respect this report also looks at the various issues surrounding VDSL and vectoring.