After the ‘world’s biggest work-from-home experiment’, many people (and their employers) might decide they needn’t commute every day. If even a fraction do that, infrastructure needs will change.
Slow or unreliable internet access is a reality for millions of Americans.
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The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing people to study and work online. It’s also sparked a need for news and information. That’s a challenge for the 24 million Americans who lack broadband internet access.
wfh, but will I be able to connect?
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Only 3 million UK homes have fibre broadband which will aid their working from home to counter coronavirus spread. But those with copper ADSL or bad connections on mobile 4G may struggle.
A recent federal court ruling lets big telecom companies censor the internet in ways that boost their own profits – but also allows local and state governments to outlaw censorship if they wish.
Living in an urban centre is no guarantee for new NBN technology.
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Around half of homes in three major Australian cities only have access to very old technology: hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC). For them, access to the NBN fibre network remains only a fairy tale.
The NBN is on the path to being privatised after construction finishes.
AAP
The NBN is on track to be privatised after the infrastructure is completed, but there are a number of other options that would retain the benefits of its disruption of the telecommunications market.
Ongoing cost, technology and customer service problems have damaged the NBN brand.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Malcolm Turnbull may be happy with his NBN connection, but many Australians aren’t. And with an increasing number of alternatives on offer, the NBN could become a white elephant in Australian cities.
Telecommunications wires stretch along a rural Kansas road.
Technology & Information Policy Institute, University of Texas
Many people in rural America don’t have access to fast, affordable internet access. How might those communities connect to the global exchange of goods, services and ideas?
Telstra will compensate more than 42000 customers for slow NBN speeds.
Joel Carrett/AAP
Australia’s problems with the national broadband network run deeper than what can be solved through an investigation or more monitoring. Maybe we were just too optimistic.
As the issue of an open and free internet again comes up for public debate, Congress could participate – and help regulators devise a workable set of policies.
FirstNet could relieve emergency workers of having to carry multiple radios and other communications devices.
AP Photo/Ric Francis
A multibillion-dollar effort is just beginning to build an all-new nationwide wireless broadband network for emergency responders. How will it work, why do we need it and how will it last 25 years?
Is America’s digital economy facing a stormy future?
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The digital economy in the US is already on the verge of stalling; failing to protect an open internet would further erode the United States’ digital competitiveness.
Some Americans have fast internet, but many still lag behind – especially in rural areas.
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The Trump administration’s proposed budget suggests it will continue to spend federal dollars on expanding broadband internet access. But the rules governing internet traffic matter too.
The national broadband network promised by the incoming Rudd government was politicised from the start.
Lukas Coch/AAP
The highly politicised nature of the NBN has led to a lack of transparency that makes it even harder to fix the mess that has been made of this vital national infrastructure.
Which links are most important in road and information networks?
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When planning major infrastructure investments, it’s important to know which road, freight and information networks are most important – and which proposals might make things worse, not better.
Qantas is currently trialling its new satellite broadband inflight service.
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President Trump has touted infrastructure investment as a way to boost the U.S. economy. At the moment, he’s missing a key opportunity – expanding broadband internet service.
Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Deputy Dean Research at Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne