RESIDENTIAL CONSUMERS AND REJECTED KNOWLEDGE - EXPLORING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE MARGINS IN BROAD-BAND SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA

It is important for residential consumers to have the economic, instit utional and conceptual space and independence to conduct their own sus tained reflection and research regarding converging communications tec hnologies. This independence is likely to lead to different constructi ons of knowledge and discourse, and to suggest a different set of cult ural practices, compared with that currently dominating industry and g overnment policy making and research. An example of research by reside ntial consumer groups in relation to broadband services in Australia i n 1994 is examined, and suggestions are made for how consumer knowledg e can be fostered to make a contribution to telecommunications policy. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.