“Quicklook” Assessment of Greater Adelaide's Assets & Challenges ...

Prescott’s Automotive Services Pty Ltd
Prescott’s has been profiled in a newsletter published by IEPO as a business that has
benefited from its use of the Internet. Running contrary to the usual Web business story,
Prescott’s has only a minimal Web presence, but uses the Net extensively for electronic
payments and distribution of inventory images to its customers and suppliers.
Prescott’s is an example of how a business story can be highlighted to further increase
awareness of the efficiencies of electronic commerce.
E-Commerce Across Australia Study
This survey, commissioned by the National Office for the Information Economy and
conducted by the Allens Consulting Group, shows progress that SA has made in the
past five years in the use of e-commerce. SA is in the top tier of states/territories in the
following categories:
Use of e-commerce
Growth in Gross State Product
Increase in employment
Facilitators
Innovation is in the culture in South Australia
South Australians are very comfortable with technology, partly due to a history of
innovation, even in Colonel Light’s initial planning for Adelaide.
Being somewhat geographically removed from the major population areas extends the
urge to export to a State level. Citizens in SA know that their growth markets lie
elsewhere. It does not take much explanation for the average South Australian to
understand the advantages of utilizing the Internet.
Government is active in bringing connectivity to less traveled places
In Texas the smaller cities are still wondering how they can receive higher-bandwidth
connections at reasonable prices. In South Australia planning and implementation are
well underway, due to a legacy of coordinated planning.
The Smart Buildings program of the City of Adelaide promotes renewal of the city
center through encouraging upgrades of older buildings that would otherwise be at a
disadvantage. Fewer resources in the way of hard infrastructure will be required as a
result.
The IEPO has negotiating clout, which can get contracts that are better structured for
the consumer.
A variety of communications modes are being looked at, including mobile and Web site
development.
Barriers/Obstacles
The bureaucracies of incumbent providers can hamper implementation
Rules that make sense in one area may not in another. For example, a telephone
company installing an Internet connection on a remote station may still refuse to touch
inside wiring, necessitating a second truck roll to the site.
Before an investment is made in broadband connections, the public must perceive a
need
Stories of much less demand developing in other areas than expected by the planners
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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