Revolutionary ideas: Brooks and Bradlow

This week and next on Twisted Wire a variety of telecommunications experts give their views on how the industry will evolve. What changes will happen and how will telecommunications change the way we live?

First off, I speak to Paul Brooks, founder of Layer 10 and the Communications Alliance's lead on the National Broadband Network project. He says big changes will happen in the home. Ethernet over power-line technology will make networking in the home easier because there's no need to run new cables through the house. It negates Malcolm Turnbull's argument that the NBN will require massive rewiring in the home. There's also security benefits and it avoids any fears you might have about what the electromagnetic radiation from your Wi-Fi network is doing to your brain.

Brooks says this technology will revolutionise the home, which will have multiple networks including some that you might not even know about it.

Hugh Bradlow, CTO at Telstra, says the cyber world is increasingly impinging on the physical world, but we continue to plan physical infrastructure without taking into account technology disruptions. He gives the example of how we plan for bigger roads to hold more traffic, and yet wireless data solutions enable us to use the roads we have far more efficiently. Who knows, in the future we might not even drive cars — we might just jump in a self-drive car that can take us where we want to go. I wonder if we can get them in time for the next round of Christmas parties!

Running time: 27 minutes