ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a discussion on the nature of inter-sectoral borders between infrastructure planning and provision on one side, and what is mostly known as mainstream urban and regional planning on the other side. The US government has pursued active regulatory reform to promote private investment and innovation in telecommunications, in the absence of any specific government-led infrastructure building project. The fortress-like border between telecommunications infrastructure provision and metropolitan planning reveals a long history of parallel activity and subtle policy reinforcement. The border between telecommunication infrastructure and metropolitan strategic planning is an outcome of weak state and local policies. The role of government is the critical factor when it comes to learning from Australian vs. US experience in deploying advanced telecommunications infrastructure. Over the last few years, a growing number of Australian local governments have started to develop local digital economic strategies to increase the possibilities for their local communities.
