By Lilia Guan

The Australian Government’s trade and investment development agency, Austrade, has called for businesses and government representatives to join the agency on a broadband tour of Asia.

Austrade, in partnership with the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR), will take delegates to Japan, Korea and Singapore to gain business insights towards the development of Australian national broadband network applications and services.

Groups ranging from; broadband application developers/providers; telecom technology companies; industry experts and consultants; universities; state and local governments have been invited to attend the tour.

Austrade ICT market industry network leader, Janelle Casey, told Government News, the aim of the mission was to provide a platform for commercial engagement with digital economy stakeholders (multinationals, local companies and governments) in Australia’s key East Asian trading partners.

“Austrade’s will provide industry, and federal and state governments, with an opportunity to learn more about key commercial developments in other high-speed broadband markets, across sectors as diverse as health, leisure, education, telecoms infrastructure and digital media,” she said.  

“We will meet with executives from multinationals shaping Asian digital economies such as NTT, NEC, Samsung and SingTel, as well as other companies that have a focus on specific sectors.”

Highlights from the trip also includes; a briefing on Japan’s broadband strategy including e-Government from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications; visits to the NEC Broadband Solutions Centre; Nomura Research Institute; and Fujikura headquarters.

Delegates will have to fork out $2470 per organisation ($570 per additional person) to cover Austrade’s overall project management of the mission program.

Austrade required a non-refundable 30 percent deposit for all international events where the value of the package is more than $1500.

Those interested in joining the mission have been invited to participate in a briefing and question and answer session with Austrade in-market contacts on September 27.

Casey said the trip will take place between 18-23 October 2010.