TransACT's foundation and initial rollout

TransACT (2000- ) introduced Australia's first VDSL network, offering a 'triple play' of voice, data (e.g. Internet access), broadcast and video-on-demand services in Australia's capital city, Canberra, in competition with the incumbent carrier Telstra. TransACT's founding Chief Architect, Robin Eckermann, reminisces on the founding of TransACT and some of the lessons to be learned from this fore-runner of the National Broadband Network (NBN).

NBN Virtual School of Emerging Sciences: How to transform the world one scientist at a time...

John Monash Science School, Monash University and Pearson Australia have joined together to provide the NBN (National Broadband Network) Virtual School of Emerging Sciences (NVSES), linking together Year 10 students who are passionate about science.

The role of IPTV in education

This article outlines the basics of IPTV technology and provide examples of its being used in a variety of situations across the educational spectrum, including tertiary education, continuing professional development (CPD), and personally tailored education services in the home for the wider community.

The politics of speed: An examination of national governments' policies for FTTX networks

This article examines the views of a selection of national governments on the desirability of ubiquitous high speed broadband and any plans or policies in place to achieve this. It notes that 82 percent of investment in 2012-17 in the world?s developed countries is estimated to be in FTTH.

Australia?s fixed broadband deficit

Australia?s fixed broadband services performance and takeup is continuing to fall behind other comparable countries in international benchmarks. Indecision about the structure of Australia?s broadband market is likely to continue to retard medium to long term investment in the fibre infrastructure needed to improve Australia?s broadband rankings against its international peers.

Another great wonder of the world? Early experience with high speed broadband

This guest editorial provides an overview of eight papers describing early experiences with high speed broadband.

Pre-figuring the 2020 NHN-enabled classroom: 'Zoo-Connect', a case study

Central to discussions about NBN-enabled applications and services is the potential for innovative ways of learning, particularly in relation to online and interactive education. This paper reports on trials of the collaborative software tool Adobe Connect in NSW schools, and reports on two field studies for Zoo Connect, an interactive, multimedia, remotely-delivered class lesson. Results from the trials support those who advocate the NBN as a means to extend classroom learning, and provide...

Inclusion during school absence: Using ambient technology to create a classroom presence for hospitalised children

In this paper, we investigate the use of ambient technology to create a classroom presence for hospitalised children. We present results from four case studies, each of which included data from hospitalised children, their parents, classmates and teachers (at both school and hospital). Primary school-aged children from both metropolitan and rural areas were included. Data collected at both the hospital and the classroom were analysed to investigate children's experience of the ambient...

Learning fast: Broadband and the future of education

A focus in this issue of the TJA is what educational institutions, especially universities, are and might be doing with broadband. Particular educational applications covered here include: ambient technology; web conferencing and collaboration; IPTV; virtual schools; universities as media organisations; and the future for journalism practice and economics.

Introduction to this issue: Internet governance, broadband policy and innovation

This editorial introduces the major themes and the authors of the articles appearing in TJA Vol. 63 No.3 (June 2013).