Publications > Press Articles 2002

Broadband ups the ante for access to information technology
says Helen Scott, Council on the Ageing (Australia) Information Manager

Sunshine Coast Seniors Newspaper, October 2002, p5
and Make new technology accessible to all, Fifty-Plus News October 2002, p4

Costs and unreliability of broadband technology, which offers high speed data transfer, are limiting its use by older Australians, low income groups and community organisations. Broadband is upping the ante on the importance of information technology access, which is already a 'requirement for full social, economic and educational participation' in Australian life. People without computer literacy, or at least literacy in technology, are becoming second class citizens. They are further disadvantaged by their inability to use computers to search for a job, to broaden their education, to socialise, to conduct their banking needs, access information or even participate as volunteers in community organisations.

This is a Council on the Ageing Australia (COTA) message in its submission to the Government's Broadband Advisory Group (BAG) chaired by Senator Richard Alston.

Neither residential consumers nor the community sector are represented on BAG which is an omission given its terms of reference to foster "communication between stakeholders on both the supply-side and demand-side of the broadband issue."

Other points COTA makes in its submission are summarised below.

Older people are on the wrong side of the digital divide

Many Australians are still without any form of online access despite Australia being amongst the leading nations in Internet access. The current generation of older Australians has relatively low rates of use of electronic technologies, and even lower rates of e-shopping and banking. Most of them are on a low income so at current costs it seems unlikely that older people will be broadband customers.

People with disabilities are also generally in lower socio-income scales bands of society but are the very group who need affordable high speed connections to take full advantage of the independence and equality offered by online access. If everyone gave thought to their own ageing, the reality of age-related disabilities, and desire for adequate access to technology in their own old age, consumer demand for affordable broadband should increase. Hardly anyone will not be affected by disability, or ageing, or both, at some time in their lives.

Barriers to broadband access

The terminology around broadband is opaque and confusing - how many can define ADSL, SDSL, HDSL, a gigabyte, or what constitutes "high speed" data access?

Cost and affordability remain concerns for all online users, including dial-up customers, but are major barriers to broadband services for households and community organisations. Costs include set-up, ongoing monthly fees, long term contracts, security costs arising from an always-on connection, and excess volume charges. Who to trust for advice is another dilemma - most IT firms and press literature seem to target the big end of town.

High levels of dissatisfaction with the quality and reliability of DSL service have been reported; if Telstra want to reach its subscriber targets services will have to improve.

Importance of social connectedness and community networking

The digital divide policy debate needs to recognise the importance of developing social capital through building online communities. Broadband has lifted the bar for such democratic participation and content provision and access issues need to be included in such debate. Calls for community service internet access rates for centres such as public libraries, telecentres will extend to broadband; likewise calls for subsidies, like those existing on rates, for pension holders.

The Universal Service Obligation requirement for digital data access should be progressively upgraded to include higher data rates and affordability criteria. The more people there are on the networks, the greater the potential utility of the network to all. Excluding people from networks for reasons of poverty or geographic location reduces the value of the network, not only to those who cannot get on, but also to those who are on because they cannot access their absent friends, or potential customers, partners, relatives or community members.

Older people a market opportunity not a problem

Older people are a growth market for technology products and education, and need to be recognised as a vital consumer group who will purchase and access technologies if they are useful to them. Senior surfers will become a growing market of more sophisticated users demanding higher end services, particularly as baby boomers leave the workforce where they have been accustomed to commercial technology applications such as broadband. The key drivers for them, and for general household and community broadband access will be affordability, convenience, reliability, compatibility with existing equipment and ease of use.

COTA recommends a communications strategy for providing accessible information to consumers, community and small business organisations with the following components:

• definition of terms;
• community consultation strategies to ensure that the voice of the consumer, including older people and those from educationally or financially disadvantaged backgrounds, is heard;
• resource community organisations to provide information to consumers, as a proven and cost-effective strategy;
• the Australian Communications Authority develop a broadband guide as part of their consumer information campaign.