The decision to provide full bandwidth rather than compressed video has been taken on the grounds that for the purposes of teleteaching, when live lectures may be transmitted, quality of signal is paramount, and it is felt that the lower quality of reduced bandwidth will be unacceptable to students who could expect to get access to the lecturer in person. Whilst the system currently offers the transmission capability of only one channel, nevertheless as multiplexing becomes financially feasible, the presence of the fibre optic tails enables such an enhancement to be possible. All sites are extensively reticulated for closed circuit television and new lecture theatres have been designed to accept both way interactive modes. It will be possible for these to be fed directly into a broadcasting mode should the broadcast stations in the state wish to take the programmes. The network provides exciting possibilities for the future and should take its place alongside Uninet in Sydney and London University's Live Net as prime examples of education's willingness to accept innovation and change in the 21st century.
Education enters the age of telecommunications.
Conference proceedings , 162-164. Australian Society for Educational Technology WA Chapter. The author and ASET WA Chapter . Created 1 July 98.