B211 Self-Test Week 4

Current Affairs Self-Test - Week 4

The following are excerpts from newpaper articles. Read the excerpts and answer the question below each excerpt.

Excerpts :
INTERNET service providers will be asked to comply with new guidelines released by the Australian Communications Authority today.
Under the guidelines, which are not enforcable, ISPs will be requested to provide 34 types of information to existing and prospective customers - ranging from technical support to disability access and payment options.
While ISPs are not asked to provide information on user-to-modem ratios or contention ratios, they will be asked to provide figures on the total number of minutes per week customers are unable to connect to each point of presence (POP).

What penalties is currently imposed on ISPs who do not comply with the guidelines?

Excerpt:
A HIGH-SPEED data network that will challenge Telstra and serve consumers and businesses throughout the country is likely to be operational within the next few years.
Millions of dollars are being spent on technical pilots for the network which has the backing of a consortium of utility companies and several local government authorities.
...
Newer technologies such as ethernet over fibre were being tested, as well as power line communications (PLC)...

What is "power line communications"?

Excerpt:
THE unresolved debate stemming from an OECD report into broadband services and Australia's poor showing is a chicken-or-the-egg discussion about the reasons for our slow take-up.

Excerpt:
In contrast to a declaration by Telstra, the nation's biggest broadband provider... a forum held by the Government's Broadband Advisory Group saw a consensus that _____ was the key determinant, according to a report from the National Office for the Information Economy, which is facilitating the group.

What is the factor named in these reports that principally determines the uptake of broadband in Australia?

Link to sample answers.

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