nbn CEO Bill Morrow has announced the NBN is on track to help build an Australian digital marketplace that will create economic opportunities.
In a speech at an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce event, Mr Morrow said Australia is expected to be the first country of its size to make broadband access universal upon by 2020.
“Our generation – GenNBN – will be more connected than ever before,” Mr Morrow said.
“This will pay huge dividends in health, education and entertainment, to name just a few. And it will create exciting economic opportunities for everyone.
“In the next three years, nbn is on track to put Australia ahead of the world for high speed, universal broadband access.
“We are now entering what will be an exciting time in history. It will be a time of rapid change and unique opportunity for all Australians but particularly for the private sector.”
Mr Morrow urged businesses to lift local digital demand to support local digital innovation.
“While medium and big business are important components of the Australian economy, the really transformative element since the mining boom has been the small business sector,” Mr Morrow said.
“The NBN has a vital role to play here. We can make sure that businesses have the tools to participate – and grow – in the new digital marketplace through the use of digital technology.
“We can help digital innovators grow across Australia by accelerating the local adoption of content and e-commerce.
“By providing high speed universal access, nbn won’t just improve lives. It will expand the local digital marketplace and make local innovation more viable. Then, as these innovative new businesses grow, we can help them build global scale.”
nbn is on track to connect eight million premises by 2020, with three million now able to connect.
