The completion of the NBN broadband infrastructures by 2015 will truly change the way all Australians will live their lives. Even today although it is not yet 100% complete, the impact the NBN is already staggering. According to a September 2013 analysis by Deloitte Access Economics, the average Australian household will gain a total of $3,800 in savings by the year 2020 from an internet connection via the NBN.

The influence of the internet is very powerful. Gone are the days when kids are outside playing with their friends; you would see them playing games on their tablets instead. Libraries may eventually become nonexistent with the rise of online publications and e-books. Gone too are the days when all employees are required to work in an office and earn a living from there. Today, it is possible to work (and even earn more) by staying at home armed with a computer and a reliable internet connection. With the different stages of internet development, the benefits we gain from having a steady internet connection gradually climbs the ladder as well.
The $3,800 total savings by the year 2020 as projected by the Deloitte Economics analysis accounts for savings that can be generated from the cost of communications, online entertainment services, employment, e-commerce and travel to name a few. After all, if you can do a lot of your chores and responsibilities by simply going online, you do not have to spend money such as on a bus ticket or a cab fare for your commute.
With an NBN broadband connection, all your connectivity requirements can be coursed through the internet. Instead of having a separate connection to a landline phone for your local and international calls, you can have just one home phone powered by your internet connection. If you have relatives in other parts of the world, staying connected with them is cheap and even free given the many computer applications that you can use to stay close to them. You won’t be limited to hearing their voices since you can also get to see how they really are with high quality video calls.
Also, instead of paying for a cable TV connection, you can stream your favourite cable TV shows and watch movies on the internet. With a steady and fast internet connection thanks to the NBN, there is no need to pay different household bills from different service providers at the end of each month.
For individuals who need to stay at home, but also want to help and contribute to the household expenses, teleworking or working from home can be made even more possible with the NBN. For stay-at-home moms, employees who want to have a part-time job or for individuals whose skills are required only on a one-time-basis, having the capacity to work from home can definitely influence their quality of life. Just as the opportunity to work from home becomes more possible, the opportunities from employers seeking freelancers also grow with it.
Quality of life also rises with an NBN connection when it can be used to access health services. Through telehealth, nurses and doctors can check on their patients who would rather recover at home. Most especially for the elderly, telehealth ensures that no checkups are missed, their doctors and nurses get to see them, therapy and exercise sessions are administered and the use of life-sustaining medical equipment are monitored as regular as it should be. Even the way lessons in school are conducted can be changed for the better with the NBN. Kids in regional communities where there is a shortage of teachers and books can have access to the education they need through remote learning.
Ultimately, the impact of an NBN broadband internet goes beyond the ease of staying connected fluidly and uninterruptedly; it definitely has an impact on the quality of life both on the individual and national level. What about you, how do you think the NBN will make your life better?