[LINK] Work on Next Generation Wireless in Canberra

[Tom Worthington]

David Boxall wrote:
> On 21/11/2010 11:52 AM, Tom Worthington wrote:
>> ...
>> In my view, wireless will be the key technology for completing the
>> National Broadband Network (NBN).
>> ...
> Should we ever consider our telecommunications infrastructure complete? 

We can say when a particular project, such as the NBN, is complete. As a nation we might then decide to do something else.

> ... Why conflate wireless with mobile?

Mobile technology is an important form of wireless data network. It seems to me that the differences between fixed and wireless technology 
are reducing and it may not be worth having a separate fixed wireless infrastructure.

For example the EnergyAustralia smart grid project in NSW was to use WiMax fixed wireless, but will now also use a Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G mobile phone network: <http://www.zdnet.com.au/ericsson-joins-energyaustralia-in-lte-tryst-339307470.htm>..

Also it is planned to replace the dedicated radio networks for safe working of long distance trains in Australia with Telstra's NextG mobile network (supplemented with satellite phones), by the end of this year: <http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/download/document/corporate-responsibility-report09.doc>.

> What is the potential of the best fixed wireless? How does it compare 
> with the best, currently available, mobile technologies?

I don't know what the potential wireless options are, which is why I am going to a seminar to find out about "Next Generation Wireless": <http://blog.tomw.net.au/2010/11/next-generation-wireless.html>.

It may sound unlikely that the future of wireless technology would be influenced by what happens in Australia. But CSIRO helped invent WiFi: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11n-2009#CSIRO_patent_issues>.


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS CP HLM, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Adjunct Senior Lecturer, School of Computer Science, The
Australian National University http://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP7310/
Visiting Scientist, CSIRO ICT Centre: http://bit.ly/csiro_ict_canberra



-- 
  Tom Worthington FACS HLM
  PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia
  http://www.tomw.net.au