Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Inquiry into Wireless Broadband Technologies

The Committee has tabled its report . A copy of the full report is available in pdf format from the link below.

Terms of Reference:

The Committee has been asked by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, to inquire into and report on the current and potential use of wireless technologies to provide broadband communication services in Australia, including regional Australia, having particular regard to the following:

• The current rollout of wireless broadband technologies in Australia and overseas including wireless LAN (using the 802.11 standard), 3G (eg UMTS, W-CDMA), bluetooth, LMDS, MMDS, wireless local loop (WLL) and satellite;
• The inter-relationship between the various types of wireless broadband technologies;
• The benefits and limitations on the use of wireless broadband technologies compared with cable and copper based broadband delivery platforms;
• The potential for wireless broadband technologies to provide a 'last mile' broadband solution, particularly in rural and regional areas, and to encourage the development and use of broadband content applications;
• The effect of the telecommunications regulatory regime, including spectrum regulation, on the development and use of wireless broadband technologies, in particular the Radiocommunications Act (1992) the Telecommunications Act (1997), and Parts XIB and XIC of the Trade Practices Act:
• Whether Government should make any changes to the telecommunications regulatory regime to ensure that Australia extracts the maximum economic and social benefits from the use of wireless broadband technologies; and
• Likely future national and international trends in the development and use of wireless broadband technologies.

Submissions

Media releases

Public Hearings

Report

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