scholarly journals Better Telecommunications Services for all Australians

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Reg Coutts
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Mobile Services ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
The World ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Regional Australia ◽  
Roll Out

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) scheme we have in place in Australia in 2015 was put in place over 25 years ago when the world was very different than what it is today. The paper documents how the current USO entrenches an annual subsidy of some $300 to Telstra to provide a standard telephone service over an aging copper infrastructure to regional and remote premises across Australia. The current expensive USO scheme is inadequate for people in remote and regional Australia and in the light of the NBN roll out and the demand for mobile services is in urgent need of review. The paper reviews the approach taken to providing high cost telecommunications services in rural areas both developed and developing economies across the world and draws lessons for devising a basis for a way forward. Given the now bipartisan acceptance of the rural and remote component of the NBN roll out and drawing on these lessons, now is the opportunity to scrap the current USO scheme and establish a Universal Service Fund (USF) where the NBN is the Universal Infrastructure wholesale provider with alternative retailers. The paper supports five practical interrelated recommendations that diverts current USO funding to ensure broadband and mobile services extension in rural and remote Australia as well as reimagining future payphones around public WiFi and rural community innovation.

scholarly journals Better Telecommunications Services for all Australians

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 89-107
Author(s):  
Reg Coutts
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Mobile Services ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
The World ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Regional Australia ◽  
Roll Out

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) scheme we have in place in Australia in 2015 was put in place over 25 years ago when the world was very different than what it is today. The paper documents how the current USO entrenches an annual subsidy of some $300 to Telstra to provide a standard telephone service over an aging copper infrastructure to regional and remote premises across Australia. The current expensive USO scheme is inadequate for people in remote and regional Australia and in the light of the NBN roll out and the demand for mobile services is in urgent need of review. The paper reviews the approach taken to providing high cost telecommunications services in rural areas both developed and developing economies across the world and draws lessons for devising a basis for a way forward. Given the now bipartisan acceptance of the rural and remote component of the NBN roll out and drawing on these lessons, now is the opportunity to scrap the current USO scheme and establish a Universal Service Fund (USF) where the NBN is the Universal Infrastructure wholesale provider with alternative retailers. The paper supports five practical interrelated recommendations that diverts current USO funding to ensure broadband and mobile services extension in rural and remote Australia as well as reimagining future payphones around public WiFi and rural community innovation.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Universal Service Obligation Scheme

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-215
Author(s):  
Simon Moorhead
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Services ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Customer Preference ◽  
Public Inquiry ◽  
Service Guarantee ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
Universal Service Obligation

In this Journal’s tradition of revisiting past papers which have relevance to today’s events, this article reminds us of the value of the paper “Better telecommunications services for all Australians.” (2015) by Reg Coutts. This paper makes five interrelated recommendations to replace the current Universal Service Obligation (USO) policy in Australia, given the NBN rollout and customer preference for mobile services anywhere anytime.  Some of its recommendations were arguably taken up by the Productivity Commission’s Public Inquiry into the USO in 2016-17, and implemented by the Australian Government in the form of a new Universal Service Guarantee.

scholarly journals SafetyNet - A New Approach to Rural and Remote Communications

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
John De Ridder ◽  
Robin Eckermann
Keyword(s):  
Black Spot ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Large Step ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Remote Communications ◽  
Fixed Wireless ◽  
Radical Approach

Rural and remote areas will continue to struggle to keep up with urban telecommunications despite the progress that has been made with initiatives such as the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP) and the NBN fixed wireless and satellite. But, now a more radical approach is needed as we consider updating the Universal Service Obligation, public safety network options and mobile roaming. Instead of more expensive small gains at the margin, or a counterproductive roaming arrangements, we should take a large step forward by having the Commonwealth, States and MNOs work together.

Resource nationalism rises in Papua New Guinea

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Resource Nationalism ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas ◽  
Community Transmission ◽  
The Government ◽  
Roll Out

Significance It reports less than 100 cases and one death, but official figures probably underestimate the reality. PNG’s health system was already in serious decline before the pandemic and the government acknowledges a high probability that community transmission continues. Impacts What may slow infections is the fact that much of PNG’s population lives in rural and remote areas. The roll-out of internet access to provincial cities and rural areas will help integrate PNG’s fragmented economy and society. Despite the Bougainville region voting strongly for independence in a non-binding referendum last year, actual independence is years away.

Franchise Bidding for Postal Services in Rural Regions

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Borrmann
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Small Town ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Franchise Bidding ◽  
Postal Services ◽  
Bidding Mechanism ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
The Government

Abstract In this paper, we develop a franchise bidding mechanism for postal services under the Universal Service Obligation (USO) in rural areas. For the collection and delivery of mail on rural routes and for small town counter operations, monopoly franchises are awarded. Deficits caused by the USO are balanced by transfers between the government and the incumbent postal operator, i.e. the franchiser. We analyze the efficiency properties of the mechanism and discuss the drawbacks when extending the mechanism to urban areas.

scholarly journals SafetyNet - A New Approach to Rural and Remote Communications

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
John De Ridder ◽  
Robin Eckermann
Keyword(s):  
Black Spot ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Large Step ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Remote Communications ◽  
Fixed Wireless ◽  
Radical Approach

Rural and remote areas will continue to struggle to keep up with urban telecommunications despite the progress that has been made with initiatives such as the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP) and the NBN fixed wireless and satellite. But, now a more radical approach is needed as we consider updating the Universal Service Obligation, public safety network options and mobile roaming. Instead of more expensive small gains at the margin, or a counterproductive roaming arrangements, we should take a large step forward by having the Commonwealth, States and MNOs work together.

scholarly journals Accessibility of Universal Postal Service According to Access Points Density Criteria: Case Study of Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarina Mostarac ◽  
Zvonko Kavran ◽  
Estera Rakić
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Model ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Postal Service ◽  
Applied Model ◽  
Postal Services ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Universal Service Obligation ◽  
Set Up

Universal service providers have an obligation to provide a minimum required set of postal services – known as universal service obligation. To ensure universal service obligation, regulatory measures (criteria) which service providers must fulfil are often set up. In this paper, a geographical analysis of these criteria is conducted using current regulatory framework in the Republic of Croatia as an example. Based on the framework of the gravity model, accessibility of postal service is presented. The goal of the proposed research is to investigate the application of the gravity model for determining postal service accessibility, with special emphasis on rural areas. To our knowledge, this method has not been used in previous studies to determine accessibility of postal services. The results of the applied model could be used in future planning of access density criteria with various transportation modes.

scholarly journals n-Logue: The Story of a Rural Service Provider In India

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Jhunjhunwala ◽  
Anuradha Ramachandran ◽  
Alankar Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Social Benefit ◽  
Hard Work ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Rural People ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The World ◽  
Long Time

Can rural Information Communication Technology (ICT) be an effective tool to bridge the digital divide? How can the Internet help developing nations and their disadvantaged in particular? Those who lobby in favour of rural ICT believe that Internet is not just a means of communication but is also an enabler of livelihood in rural areas and therefore, power. For a very long time now, the developing world has carried the burden of colonization and slavery. This has resulted in a lack of confidence among developing economies and the belief that they are not at par with the rest of the world. The lack of "access" has curtailed their ability to compete. In fact, ingenuity and hard work hasn't been adequate for one to enjoy economic and social benefit. In order to acquire these benefits, access to resources like education, health and employment become critical. Internet has been a boon in this regard. Today, one can be in the remotest corner of the world and as long as there is access to Internet enjoy access to education, health and resources. This allows them to compete and use their ingenuity and hard work to bring about a significant difference to their lives. This paper concentrates on how ICT can affect the lives of rural people in the developing world. The total rural population of the developing world is about 3.5 billion, with their average per capita income being no more than $200 per year. India, with 700 million rural people located in 600,000 villages, is a reflection of the developing world. The key issue that is addressed in the paper is whether technology can bring about a difference in the lives of people who earn less than half a dollar a day. Can health and education be made available to them? Can they afford the Internet? And ultimately, can it significantly enhance their livelihoods and income?

International Telesupervision: The Clinical Fellowship Experience

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
David W. Rule ◽  
Lisa N. Kelchner
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Clinical Supervision ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Access To Services ◽  
East African ◽  
The World ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
National Certification

Telepractice technology allows greater access to speech-language pathology services around the world. These technologies extend beyond evaluation and treatment and are shown to be used effectively in clinical supervision including graduate students and clinical fellows. In fact, a clinical fellow from the United States completed the entire supervised clinical fellowship (CF) year internationally at a rural East African hospital, meeting all requirements for state and national certification by employing telesupervision technology. Thus, telesupervision has the potential to be successfully implemented to address a range of needs including supervisory shortages, health disparities worldwide, and access to services in rural areas where speech-language pathology services are not readily available. The telesupervision experience, potential advantages, implications, and possible limitations are discussed. A brief guide for clinical fellows pursuing telesupervision is also provided.

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