The debate surrounding the future allocations of radiofrequency spectrum for mobile telecommunications will have to grapple with future demand assumptions.

What will the demand for mobile broadband be? Will consumers take up mobile data services?

Where will demand be created by new applications and services?

In the end these are fundamental questions that must be addressed when the Government considers the digital dividend outcomes that will best serve Australia’s digital economy.

The same challenges are being faced all around the globe. For example, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the use of massive tracts of analogue television spectrum to be used for wireless broadband once TV is switched to digital in the US. The fact that the US is going ahead with broadband over analogue TV airwaves will also make it easier for Australian communication regulators to move ahead with the plan, after they've observed how well it works in the US.

This also augurs well for Australia's wireless broadband future: the valuable 700MHz analogue television spectrum will be freed up by 2013 when all analogue TV services are switched off in Australia.

In addition to strongly growing demand for mobile data services, including mobile broadband, the evolution of computing technology will also rely on the best possible broadband capacity and speeds.

This week the CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, introduced the latest concepts in convergence as the world of computing enters a new era of “cloud” computing.

Mr Ballmer said that very high speed fixed and mobile broadband services would become increasingly important as cloud computing – which also has backing from technology heavyweights such as Google, IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Intel – gains traction.

Steve Ballmer has urged the federal government and Australian telecommunications carriers to move quickly to boost broadband speeds.

Central to this outcome will be the allocation of sufficient radiofrequency spectrum to support the key role mobile telecommunications will play in the digital economy

week.