ACS Week in Review: 12 April 2013
Reports out this week
ACS in the news
- Massive energy cost hidden in the cloud
Ground-breaking Australian research shows public debate has missed the point on making cloud services more energy efficient. Research commissioned by the Australian Computer Society in 2010 found that IT is responsible for 2.7% of Australia’s energy consumption, and 7.1% of Australia’s electricity consumption.
Articles of Interest
- Turnbull rejects fears of high regional NBN prices
Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull has dismissed concerns that the Coalition’s rival broadband plan would result in higher prices for regional customers, saying broadband services would be cheaper everywhere than they would under Labor.
- Australia’s ranking falls in global IT survey
In the 2013 Global Information Technology survey, produced by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and released on Thursday morning, Australia ranked 18th of 144 nations, down one spot from the previous year and from ninth place in 2004.
- Stoner pushes collaboration for innovation in NSW
The NSW government has launched its $6.7 million Innovate NSW initiative, providing grants and other support to startups. The initiative is part of the NSW government’s response to a September industry action plan on the digital economy.
- CSIRO to revolutionise wireless speed
An Australian breakthrough in the wireless technologies underpinning many modern mobile networks could see speeds increase fivefold or more in the near future.
Government and Opposition Announcements
- Broadband betrayal: Coalition to make Australians pay up to $5000 to connect to superfast broadband
The Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has condemned the Coalition's broadband policy, which confirms Australians will have to pay up to $5000 to connect to superfast broadband. "The Coalition will spend more than $20 billion, but cannot guarantee any Australian a speed of more than 25 Mbps," Senator Conroy said.
- Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast: Digital switchover less than two months away
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy today urged people living in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast to make the switch to digital television before analog signals are switched off in less than two months' time.
- Tasmania makes the switch to digital TV
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today announced that Tasmania has now officially switched over to digital-only free-to-air TV.