Economic crisis fueling open network interest

The economic crisis is prompting countries such as Australia and the US to rethink their broadband strategies and to consider open network infrastructures that will support applications from multiple sectors such as health care, education and energy, according to a new report by Australian consultant Paul Budde Communication. But while the US is embarking on a small-scale $7.2 billion broadband stimulus program that takes a piecemeal approach to boosting broadband, Australia's government has placed a $43 billion bet that has even brought incumbent service provider Telstra to the table in the effort to build a national wholesale fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network. This open network approach, as described in "Global Next Generation Telecoms - FTTH and Trans-Sector Strategies," will enable trans-sector participation in applications that ride the broadband pipe into the home, including telemedicine, smart utility grids and distance learning, Budde said.