Australia's technology report card
- Brad Howarth
- 24 June 2009
If you grew up with mono television, would you really understand why stereo was so much better until you heard it yourself? Or how about 5.1 surround sound?
The same analogy can be cast for much of Australia’s information infrastructure. We hear every day that our broadband fails to stack up in global terms, that our mobile charges are too expensive, and that there is no money to fund start-up companies, but do we really have it that badly?
Many of the things that we take for granted today – such as internet banking, mobile telephony and email – were barely known of just 20 years ago. All of them depend on a web of interwoven infrastructure, from internet standards to payment and billing gateways, right down to the networks they run on.
So how does Australia stack up by international standards? Here’s our quick report card.
Broadband: C
Comment: “Our Government’s proposed speed is laughable compared to commercial networks elsewhere in the world that look to be delivering speeds of 100Mbits/second and beyond.”
Mobile: A
Comment: “Australia’s world-leading position is in danger of being swiftly lost next year as operators elsewhere migrate to the next generation in mobile networks.”
Computers in schools: B
Comment: “If you visit a school in Australia, the use of technology is limited to electronic whiteboards, and the use of 21st century tools is limited to special multimedia and design classes.”
Online banking and financial services: B+
Comment: “Online banking is very high, as is satisfaction, and we’re seeing more banks move to offer mobile banking.”
Research & Development: B
Comment: “We need to get resources behind our innovative companies, entrepreneurs and researchers to help them succeed.”
