The Victorian State Government has announced a new laboratory which will act as a test-bed for businesses to explore and develop new applications for the use of new high-speed broadband which will be delivered through the National Broadband Network (NBN)

 

Located at the Institute for a Broadband Enabled Society (IBES) at the University of Melbourne, the Australian Broadband Applications Laboratory (ABAL) will aim to encourage broadband innovation by Australian businesses.

 

 

ABAL provides a broadband network environment, allowing ideas to be transformed into programs and enabling companies to develop and test broadband innovative services and applications. By replicating the NBN set-up, businesses will be able to test new service offerings over the NBN.

 

Director of ABAL, Professor Rod Tucker, said ABAL provides industry and not-for-profits with expertise that will assist them to harness technologies, develop new ideas and test them in a real-world environment before going to market.

 

Until now, the laboratory facilities at ABAL have assisted IBES researchers to test and develop broadband applications. The facilities are now available to a wide range of external organisations in different sectors, including health, education, retail, finance, manufacturing, mining and energy.

 

ABAL was established through $3 million in direct investment from State Government in IBES, announced in July this year. IBES is also supported the University of Melbourne and Industry partners.

 

 More information on ABAL is available at www.abalab.com.au