Demand for telecommunications infrastructure will continue growing faster than GDP growth. This is largely due to business and consumer demand for services that increasingly depend on high volumes of data. This includes agriculture, tourism, financial services and many other industries.
A key challenge will be the efficient rolling-out of an open access, wholesale only fixed-line broadband network.
Governments and the private sector will need to focus on taking full advantage of the NBN, thereby delivering economic and social benefits to the country.
Market forces and the private sector providers will ensure demand for services is met in urban areas, but parts of rural and remote Australia will continue to require government assistance to access similar, high quality services.