Report on Brisbane Consumer Consultation Meeting, 28 October 2004
The meeting was held at the University of Queensland Business School Downtown, 345 Queen St Brisbane, at 5.30pm on 28 October 2004. ISOC-AU would like to thank Ross Kelso and Gunela Astbrink for organising, and Tony Hill for facilitating, the meeting. Participants were advised that this consultation process is supported by funding from the Department of Communications, IT and the Arts.
The background of attendees included academic technical staff, and training and communications staff from a major Internet resource organisation. One attendee had also been a founding President of the ISOC India chapter.
IPv6 protocol deployment and Asian developments
- APNIC (Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre) is the Regional
Internet Registry (RIR) for tha Asia Pacific region, and is responsible
for allocation of IP address space (IPv4 and IPv6) and related resources
to ISPs in the region. It has been based in Brisbane since 1998.
- Japan has been active in the development and promotion of IPv6,
and benefits from government funding to a national 'Promotion Council';
this is seen as a way to develop a lead in Internet technology
particularly in terms of Japanese design of IP capable devices to serve
a mass market. For the broad uptake of popular services involving
mobile devices and appliances, IPv6 will be needed in order to provide
the required address space.
- Korea is also understood to be promoting the use of IPv6, as is
China where mass market adoption of communication services has seen a
greatly increased uptake of next generation mobile telephony (compared
to Western networks) and an expected greater application of voice
carriage over IPv6; this should lead to an accelerated merging of the
PSTN and the Internet.
- China seems to be focussing more on developing the services side,
whereas Korea and Japan are seeking to build IP-capable devices.
- US defence forces are reported to have been given a 2008 mandate for IPv6 introduction.
Wireless Development
- Subsequent to the report of the previous Brisbane Consumer
Consultation meeting held on 1 May 2003, the Brisbane City Council's
trial provision of free wireless broadband access in the Queen Street
Mall has come to an end. For-fee wireless access is now provided by
many businesses, hotels and restaurants around Brisbane, not just in
the city centre.
- University developments of wireless broadband services for staff and students are continuing.
Training and future discussions
- APNIC is currently delivering awareness-raising and training
courses to its member audience of primarily ISPs and is deeply involved
in regional internet policy development and related technical issues.
In its quest to target a wider community, such as agencies, regulators
and academic bodies, there may possibly be scope for collaboration with
ISOC-AU.
- ISOC-AU members could be encouraged to attend APRICOT and other
APNIC-associated events; reduced or waived fees could be a
consideration.
- APNIC has signed MoUs with various organisations throughout the Asia Pacific, and a closer relationship with ISOC-AU may be possible through the same type of vehicle. However consistency of relationships is important to ensure that APNIC is not seen to favour one economy over others in the region.
President ISOC-AU
28 October 2004