Telecommunications Infrastructure Action Plan
Access to high quality, affordable telecommunications services is extremely important to the future growth and development of the Tweed region, across all business and industry sectors, as well as being important for social and community development.
Telecommunications, and especially broadband communications, is a key enabling technology that successful countries utilise to encourage their business and industry to; gain a competitive advantage, attract new investment products & industries, participate in international trade and secure economic growth. It also greatly enriches community life by allowing greater access to a wider range of information and services delivered with unprecedented flexibility and convenience.
Broadband allows all users access to fast, ‘always online’ digital content applications and a range of services, some or all of which can occur simultaneously. It has the capacity to transmit and receive large amounts of data, images and video, as well as traditional telephony and internet at significantly greater speed, allowing users to take full advantage of new communications tools, advanced information and communication technology (ICT) applications.
Broadband telecommunications, in its various forms is now recognised as the roads and railway of the 21st century that will generate the next wave of economic expansion. Just as transport opened up new economic horizons in the last century, advanced telecommunications networks will pave the way to open up new markets and achieve productivity gains across global economies.
The importance of this technology has been realized by TEDC and Tweed Shire Council, who in collaboration have developed a Telecommunications Infrastructure Action Plan, for the Tweed Region. This plan sets out to define broadband telecommunications from a global perspective and reviews approaches being under taken to develop broadband infrastructure both internationally and domestically.
In most countries, broadband telecommunications infrastructure is delivered by private sector companies on a commercial basis and in most cases the private sector have not demonstrated a willingness to invest in regional areas, without some strategic involvement by government.
Increasingly a view is being formed that the development of the broadband telecommunications infrastructure utility is reliant on strategic government involvement.
The TEDC/Tweed Shire Council report has identified a number of issues and challenges common across a broad spectrum of telecommunications infrastructure development projects both in Australia and overseas. These include:
• The identified need for telecommunications infrastructure strategic planning to meet the future needs of business and residents;
• The need for government to take a leading role in facilitating the development of broadband telecommunications infrastructure;
• The development of broadband infrastructure as a partnership between key stakeholders from both the supply and demand side of the market;
• In all cases the focus of the development of broadband infrastructure is on the economic and social benefits derived from it; and
• That the proponents have taken a long-term horizon view on the development of Broadband, similar to the other infrastructure utilities such as; roads, electricity, sewage and water.
The Telecommunications Infrastructure Action Plan identified a number of actions which TEDC and Tweed Shire Council can work collaboratively to facilitate the development of this critical infrastructure in conjunction with private and government partners. The provision of fast, efficient telecommunications infrastructure is one fundamental step in the process of delivering future economic and social sustainability to the Tweed.
