The Adoption of Broadband Internet in Australia and Canada

Broadband internet connectivity is seen as a means to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of an economy. But despite ongoing efforts to promote broadband in Australia, uptake has been much slower than expected. This paper aims to identify areas that have been holding up the broadband development in Australia. In examining multiple areas for attention (competition, user characteristics and behaviours, applications, network characteristics, and pricing), we refer to the experience of Canada, a leader in broadband deployment, to show the differences in each area. The paper outlines objectives for the development of a more user-friendly broadband environment in Australia, which would encourage broadband adoption. Although both countries discussed here have their own policy agendas and some unique circumstances related to broadband deployment, the paper provide valuable insights for policy makers and industry leaders in Australia, and in other countries which are struggling to develop widespread broadband deployment.

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