The ACT government has confirmed that it is considering a trial, being pushed by NEC, to make Canberra a "ubiquitous city".
The public service, schools, businesses, hospitals, houses, cars and shops could all be connected by a range of networks and devices under the scheme, which is still in early planning stages. There are still no costing details after six to eight months of discussions with NEC.
Treasurer and Economic Development Minister Ted Quinlan is helping to search for companies interested in becoming a part of the trial, such as broadband fibre-optic provider TransACT and wireless broadband startup iBurst.
It is understood a Canberra identity management organisation could be involved in the trial project.
NEC wants an Australian trial of the concept, which is already under way in a number of cities in Japan and the US.
NEC officials said Canberra was chosen because it had an almost ready-made environment, with much of the work already done on bedding down a broadband network.
"The elements are all there. It is a matter of connecting them," NEC enterprise systems executive manager Milton Purcell said.
The capital had the highest rate of internet use and PC penetration in the country.
It also had the highest information and communications technology employment intensity in Australia, at 25 such jobs per 1000 people, the highest proportion of businesses with access to the internet and the highest proportion of businesses with computers in the country.
Canberra's workforce was more computer literate and the city had more tertiary qualifications per capita than any other city in the southern hemisphere.
It is also known for its fast take-up of new technologies.
Mr Quinlan said the 2004-05 State of the Regions report, prepared for the Australian Local Government Associations, ranked the ACT as having the highest concentration of knowledge-based activity in Australia and it was considered the region best positioned to participate in the "new economy".
Many national and international companies had set up sites in Canberra to compete in the federal government market, worth about $2 billion a year.
NEC managing director Riaki Tanaka and Mr Purcell met ACT government officials last week to discuss the test project.
If the ACT government moves soon, the city could be a ubiquitous network by 2010, they said.
Moving from convergence to ubiquity would require identity management, and could reignite the Australia card debate, they said.
In Japan, many identity management technologies are used, including smart cards such as loyalty cards, IC cards and biometric readers.
"To work, this needs to be embraced by all levels of government, business and the community," Mr Purcell said.
Mr Quinlan said this could be a very exciting opportunity for the ACT.
"The ACT Government recognises that hi-tech communication is fast becoming a competitive advantage and this project would enhance the infrastructure already in place," he said.
"We are having some exploratory discussions with NEC on how a pilot project may work and the benefits it would bring to Canberra in the areas of e-learning, e-health and e-government."
Autor: Selina Mitchell
Quelle: Australian IT, 20.09.2005
