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How many Internet years in a human year?
How many Internet years in a human year?
If there are seven dog years to a human year, how many Internet years are there in a human year?
Judging from the pace of change in the last twelve months there surely must be more than one Internet year to a human one. How else could so much be achieved?
Recently Daryl Williams, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts spoke to the Internet Industry Association about the year past and the year ahead for the Internet. From the Australian Government perspective, the list of policies and projects range far and wide. Here are just a few of the developments he mentioned.
Government funding programs: Networking the Nation and Information Technology Online
The Internet is a democratic medium, allowing governments, at all levels, to speak more directly to the Australian people, and in turn, giving the people more direct access to governments. Council Connect in Tasmania is one project that aims to do just this (see story on page 7). Launched in late 2003, it is a whole-of-state approach to putting local government services online. The project received funding under the Australian Government’s Networking the Nation program and is just one example of how Australian governments have changed, and continue to change, the delivery of government services and information, using the Internet.
Information Technology Online grants continue to contribute to some truly innovative projects. One recent example is the Global Electronic Invoice Presentation and Payment project to develop an export e-commerce service that can be secured simply and cost- effectively over the Internet without paperwork and time delays. The secure service will provide reliable cross-border, multi-currency invoicing and payment capabilities designed for small business exporters and importers.
Competition policy
A strong e-business sector will deliver benefits to Australian consumers and enhance our international competitiveness. To this end the Australian Government has established a strong regulatory framework to support a competitive communications market. In 2003 regulatory reforms connected to the Telecommunications Competition Act 2002 were bedded down. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued determinations for model price and non-price terms and conditions for access to core telecommunications services, as well as initial Accounting Separation reports for Telstra.
The ACCC issued a competition notice to Telstra on 19 March this year following an investigation into Telstra’s retail broadband price reduction. As a result Telstra announced new pricing for its wholesale broadband customers, including an option that provides wholesale services at a 40 per cent discount to Telstra’s retail prices, demonstrating the impact of these powers.
Broadband
The marketplace for the supply of broadband services is becoming increasingly competitive, with both established and new service providers playing their part. This has brought improvements for consumers in service reach, product range and pricing. As a result, broadband take-up is increasing strongly.
The National Broadband Strategy is the Australian Government’s collaborative approach to accelerating broadband roll-out and take-up. During 2004, the Australian Government will contribute to three key elements of the strategy, worth $140 million.
- The Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme, with incentives for internet service providors, is geared towards improving the availability of higher bandwidth broadband services in the bush by reducing their price to metropolitan equivalent levels.
- The Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund promotes the roll-out of broadband infrastructure in regional Australia in areas such as health and education.
- Demand Aggregation Brokers will work with all levels of government and with regional communities to coordinate their broadband requirements across sectors and geographic areas. This will increase the certainty of supply and reduce the cost of broadband to those communities. In June this year $2.9 million funding was announced for 13 regional organisations under the first round of the community- based broadband demand aggregation brokers program. Funding will be used to appoint broadband demand aggregation brokers to facilitate better deals for broadband services across regional areas.
Security
On the security front, governments and the business community have been very busy. A number of security resources are available to end-users to help with security and more are being developed all the time.
The Internet Industry Association launched its security portal last year, with the help of some Australian Government funding. The portal aims to build community confidence in using the Internet for e-commerce and helps users develop a culture of security. It usefully complements security services offered by other organisations such as the Australian High Tech Crime Centre, set up last July by the Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Computer Emergency Response Team, AusCERT.
The AusCERT National Alerts Service was launched in May 2003. It is a free, subscription-based service that provides bulletins on significant vulnerabilities or threats that affect essential network devices or services critical to basic functioning of the Internet. AusCERT has received funding from the Australian Government to make these security bulletins available to more Australian Internet users.
The Government will also provide $5.5 million over four years to support portfolio aspects of the Government’s Critical Infrastructure Protection strategy, including the Trusted Information Sharing Network (TISN). This funding will be used to assist the telecommunications (including Internet service providers), broadcasting and postal industries to improve the protection of Australia’s communications infrastructure through improved information sharing and cooperation.
e-business
On the e-business front the Government has been working to help small businesses to better understand and to find real value in the Internet.
The 2003 Yellow Pages e-business survey estimates that almost 80 per cent of small businesses are now online and the number paying for products and services online almost doubled between 2001 and 2002.
The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts has a range of materials available to help small business in its adoption of e-business. These include guides and fact sheets about online security, explanations about broadband, how to get started in e-business and demystify some of the jargon.
AusTender was also launched last year. This is the Commonwealth Electronic Tender System, designed to give small businesses better access to opportunities to supply goods and services to government.
Spam
2003 was a year that saw great achievements in Australia in the fight against spam. The final report on spam was released and the Government accepted its recommendations. This constitutes a multi-layered strategy; combining legislation, industry codes, technical countermeasures, international cooperation, information campaigns and strategic partnerships with industry bodies such as the Internet Industry Association and the Australian Information Industries Association.
In April the Spam Act 2003 came into effect. Australian is now recognised as a leader in the fight against spam—it enhances our ability to operate credibly and effectively in the international arena. As 98 per cent of spam comes from overseas, Australia’s legislation could well be a model for other countries to adopt, when moving to a regulatory regime to deal with it.
Building on this approach the Government is also addressing the issue of phishing. Phishing is where online criminals use apparently legitimate emails to trick people into divulging passwords, credit card numbers and bank account details. The Government is teaming up with Australia’s finance industry to crack down on phishing with specialist staff from Australia’s major banks to be seconded to the Australian High Tech Crime Centre to help investigate suspected cases.
Content regulation
The Government’s Co-regulatory Online Content Scheme aims to ensure safe Internet use, especially for children, and to empower parents so that they can better manage their children’s Internet experience. The scheme was recently reviewed and submissions expressed clear support for it. The review report is currently being considered by the Government.
An emerging issue for both the Government and the industry is that of Internet-enabled mobile devices, including 2.5G and 3G mobile phones. This issue was considered in the review of the scheme and the Government, the Australian Communications Authority and the Australian Broadcasting Authority are already talking with mobile phone service providers about consumer protections, especially for children, as these services become available.
Reforms to the Copyright Act
In 2001 digital agenda reforms to the Copyright Act were introduced. At that time the Government committed to reviewing the legislation after three years to ensure it would keep pace with changes in the industry. That review is currently underway. The consultation that informs the review addresses issues like the application of copyright laws to Internet service providers and to new technologies such as peer-to-peer delivery.
In 2003 the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts published the Digital Rights Management Guide to assist users in making choices about the management and utilisation of content in the digital environment.
The Internet is a global medium however, and for truly effective copyright protection international cooperation will be needed. Australia has been working closely with a number of nations and non-governmental organisations with this aim. A mutual commitment to an effective copyright regime in the online environment is an important part of the current Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the United States.
The next 12 months are sure to be just as eventful.