Synopsis
As the discussion continues about the need for intelligent networks and ‘smarts’ in virtually everything it becomes obvious that we must move away from the decision-making processes that have brought us to the point of financial crisis, environmental crisis and to the monopolistic and dogmatic regimes that have developed in the telecoms sector. Around the world debates are heating up in the search for new and better ways to find solutions for these crises. There is more or less universal agreement that a linear continuation of the past will lead to more problems and, eventually, utter chaos and destruction.
While in developed markets Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH) will be the leading infrastructure force behind this economic and social transformation, mobile broadband will deliver these changes in the developing world. Nobody does need to miss out on these benefits as long as governments do take a leadership role both in relation to infrastructure developments and in developing trans-sector policies for healthcare, education, smart grids, transport and public safety; in short developing smart communities.
In December 2009 the OECD published its report on these issues and indicated that governments could justify the costs of fast broadband by using them to cut cost in sectors such as healthcare, education, transport and energy. On average, a cost saving of between 0.5% and 1.5% in each of these four sectors over a ten year period could justify the cost of building the NBN.
Governments are now starting querying whether this basic infrastructure should not be financed in the same way as other infrastructure, by making it a national right paid for through consolidated revenue, government bonds or, as the OECD indicated, government savings.