Spotlight on ultra-fast broadband

I was one of three speakers this morning at NetSafe’s regular Spotlight event, speaking today on ultra-fast broadband (UFB). Di Das from Computers in Homes and Russell O'Brien Vector Communications, along with Martin Cocker (NetSafe’s executive director) were the other speakers.

I focused my comments on what is happening to get ultra-fast broadband available, and what we might all be able to use it for. A copy of the presentation in PDF form is available here if you’re interested.

The “what is it for” question is an important one. We’re spending around $1.8bn of public funds to build the fibre optic networks of the future, along with billions more of private sector investment. Why?

Well there are ample case studies of what the current generation of broadband allows. Some are listed in the presentation (think Xero, BitTorrent, video streaming, software-as-a-service and more).

We have some clues to what fibre will allow in terms of high definition video, three-dimensional telepresence, new remote education and public service options, and more. Those are just the beginning though.

The thing is, what ultrafast broadband will allow is in part up to you. If you can imagine something that requires unlimited, fast data flows to let it happen, then UFB is what you need to make that vision a reality.

Like all the other applications the Internet has been the platform for, we have hardly begun to imagine what is possible. As long as we maintain and open and free Internet that provides that platform for innovation and change, the only certainty is that we ain’t seen nothing yet.