Huawei backs National Digital Economy Strategy

Key recommendations from Connecting Communities

White Paper to be implemented by Government

1 June 2011: Huawei has praised the Federal Government‟s National Digital Economy Strategy for taking action on key recommendations from Huawei‟s Connecting Communities White Paper. Launched in February this year, Connecting Communities: The impact of broadband on communities in the UK and its implications for Australia set out a plan of action for Australia in the NBN era, with a number of recommendations now reflected in the Government‟s National Digital Economy Strategy initiatives.

“Connecting Communities made the case that we cannot measure success by access to broadband – the real goal must be use by people, and to ensure that no-one gets left behind,” said Huawei Corporate and Public Affairs Director Jeremy Mitchell. “The report made a number of recommendations which align with the Government‟s vision, and Huawei believes the National Digital Economy Strategy is an important step in making Australia one of the world‟s leading digital economies by 2020.”

Connecting Communities was commissioned by Huawei Australia and independently research and compiled by renowned community regeneration expert Dr Tim Williams. The full report can be downloaded from http://www.huawei.com.au/connectingcommunities/

Key recommendations from Connecting Communities include (the full list of recommendations can be found in the White Paper):

• l Establish a National Digital Action plan which includes targets for everyone to be digitally literate by 2021
• l Appoint ‘Digital Champions’ from key sectors to help galvanise civil society and promote digital participation
• l All public agencies to review how new broadband capacity can transform the design and delivery of services and the process of engagement and involvement with clients, consumers, service users and partners: federal government to establish a fund to incentivise this.
• l National and state summits of not-for-profit/ third sector organisations to share best-practice on digital inclusion
• l Online Concession Passes for over 65s and/or pensioners
• l Commit to open source principles and establish an all-Australian version of www.data.gov which all states should participate in.
• l As part of the drive to eliminating digital illiteracy by 2021, establish a national helpline to support those that are having difficulty accessing the internet.

“Connecting Communities looked at the UK‟s broadband experience and found that our focus should not just be on building a network, but building a networked nation,” Mr Mitchell said. “The Government should be commended for this strategy, which goes beyond the „pits and pipes‟ and sets out a vision for the digital economy.” Huawei is currently building NBN-style fibre networks in the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and the UAE.