Telstra's Dr Phil Burgess Talks Broadband Bottom Line at Ajilon-Sponsored VIC AIIA Forum

Guests at the Ajilon-sponsored AIIA forum in Victoria on 16th August gathered to hear Dr Phil Burgess, Group Managing Director of Public Policy and Communications at Telstra, passionately bring them up-to-speed on one of the nation’s most highly-publicised, debated and controversial topics of the day: high-speed broadband.

The forum, titled Moving Australia Into the Fast Lane, was attended by more than 120 representatives from Victoria’s ICT industry and included many of Ajilon’s Telstra clients.

In his high-spirited key note address, Dr Phil shared his views on the need for the Federal Government to get on board with Telstra in supplying a high-speed broadband service to Australia:

“We are behind the rest of the world’s developed nations,” he said.  “Our current approach is dangerous for the future of the country.  Without Telstra’s investment, the investment made by other providers in Australia will begin to shrink.  This industry investment is so important, because it’s more costly to build networks here than anywhere else in the world – including Iceland!”

According to Bill Leropoulos, General Manager Ajilon, Phil’s speech was by far the best he’s heard from guest speakers at this year’s AIIA Event Series.

“He’s a guy who has one of the most controversial jobs in the country right now and I have to say, I was impressed.  He delivered a pretty powerful speech.

“Dr Burgess expressed the view that ‘distance, density and terrain make telecommunications essential for Australia, but it also increases infrastructure costs.’

“Irrespective of attendees’ political persuasion in the current debate, his speech clearly illustrated the challenges faced by all stakeholders in moving Australia up the OECD broadband ladder.

“Clearly, we need to address the issues raised by Dr Burgess around Australia’s lack of a competitive, high-speed broadband service as a matter of national priority.”

The next Ajilon-sponsored forum in the 2007 Event Series will be held on Thursday 13th September.  It will focus on new media and how this technology is shaping our future.  Visit the AIIA’s site for more information. (http://www.aiia.com.au/i-cms.isp?page=429)

Click here to view the presentation materials from this event. (http://www.aiia.com.au/i-cms.isp?page=2268 )
 

Caption: Dr Burgess gives the audience the cold hard facts, according to Telstra.

Caption: Bill Leropoulos talks one-on-one with Dr Burgess over lunch.