"impressed by the use of wireless LAN technologies (using 802.11 standard) to provide broadband services," minister Richard Alston said in a statement today."
Australian Govt To Review Wireless Broadband Potential
By Adam Creed, Newsbytes
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA,
25 Mar 2002, 5:34 AM CST
Australia's Minister for Communications and IT today announced a high-level inquiry into the future use of wireless broadband technologies in Australia, apparently impressed by what he's seen overseas.
"During a recent trip to the United States, I was impressed by the use of wireless LAN technologies (using 802.11 standard) to provide broadband services," minister Richard Alston said in a statement today.
Alston said he was interested in applying wireless technologies to "last-mile" broadband systems, especially in Australia's more remote and rural areas where fiber rollout is extremely unlikely.
The inquiry will investigate local development and uses of wireless technologies including wireless LANs (local area networks), Bluetooth, wireless local loop and local multipoint distribution services (LMDS).
The study will be conducted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Alston said. It will also consider the effects of the nation's telecommunications regulations on wireless broadband development.
Under increasing pressure from critics of Australia's slow takeup of high-speed Internet technologies, Alston's government has been drawn into a renewed focus on broadband.
At the end of February, Prime Minister John Howard announced a major new long-term initiative that will establish a group to advise government on broadband development.
The so-called Broadband Advisory Group will advise the government through Alston.
Reported By Newsbytes.com, newsbytes.com . |
