Image credit: Vodafone

Did the Federal Government buy big “turn it on” buttons in bulk when it approved the National Broadband Network policy? It’s starting to look that way, judging by the amount of NBN launch events it has held over the past few years. Today’s big orange button comes from Kiama, where the NBN was officially switched on this morning.

Not the best photo of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy. Alongside him are Mellissa Tierney (Australia Day Young Citizen Award Winner), Kiama Council mayor Sandra McCarthy and Treasurer and Deputy PM Wayne Swan.

Another action shot, with Conroy smiling this time:

The happy quartet:

Wah-Swah captured in action, no doubt espousing the economic benefits of universal broadband:

Err …. right. Is this Twister for senior citizens? NBN Co’s official caption about this photo reads:

“Local resident, Judy Spooner, demonstrating a new fall prevention application developed by NeuRA (Neuroscience Research Australia). The application uses a dance-mat and interactive screen to help the elderly with mobility. This is an example of a new model of healthcare that can be delivered over the National Broadband Network both to regional and metropolitan areas.”

And an action shot from behind:

Overall, quite bizarre.

Image credit: NBN Co

We wandered around CeBIT all of today, taking in the sights — and there were many of them. Dozens of companies, IT celebrities, and just some amazing products. CeBIT 2011 has it all.

Image credit: Delimiter

Whirlpool user and all-round nice guy Sambo9 recently publishing this stunning gallery of photos of the National Broadband Network rollout in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick, and has kindly consented to let us post them on Delimiter as well. We consider this one of the best photo galleries we’ve seen of the actual NBN, as it goes into great detail about the actual NBN equipment, as well as the fibre being rolled out in the street and so on. Cheers Sambo9!

According to NBN Co’s Twitter account, the organisation is having a fundraiser today to raise money for DCH Animal Adoptions … complete with NBN cake. Yes, that is a cake in the shape of a network termination unit.

The original model can be seen here:

Image credits: NBN Co and Michael Wyres

These photos are from UXC subsidiary Red Rock’s recent Oracle Leadership Forum, which was held at Sydney’s Luna Park on March 17.

Image credit: Red Rock

Reverse disclosure: Red Rock has previously advertised the Leadership Forum on Delimiter, but this photo gallery was not part of that advertising contract — we just liked the pictures!

Regular Delimiter reader and all-round telco commentator Michael Wyres was at a NBN Co briefing this week and took these shots of the company’s internal and external network termination units, which will be installed in homes and businesses. Michael has kindly supplied us with the shots, but we recommend you visit his excellent blog for a fuller explanation of how everything works.

Image crdit: Michael Wyres

IT services giant Fujitsu this week opened in Perth what it billed as the nation’s most advanced datacentre, signing up Commonwealth Bank subsidiary Bankwest as a key customer. The facility comprises 8000 square metres of tier three datacentre space, with three main general data halls and three smaller halls for companies requiring dedicated private suites.

To celebrate, the company went back to its Japanese roots, holding a traditional sake ceremony attended by visiting senior Fujitsu executive Kazuo Ishida, corporate senior executive vice president in charge of Fujitsu’s ICT services business; Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand chief executive Rod Vawdrey, Bankwest managing director Jon Sutton and Bankwest CIO Andy Weir.

Image credit: Tobey Black

Gartner is the international behemoth of technology analyst firms — its every word held as gospel by the global teeming legions of chief information officers and IT managers. And every year Gartner’s mecca is its Symposium conference series, which travels the globe accompanied by scores of analysts and research directors. This week the event hit Sydney. How many magic quadrants can you count?

Image credit: Delimiter

Last week, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy attended an event held by Nextgen Networks in Mulgrave, Victoria, to mark the halfway point in the completion of the National Broadband Network Regional Backbone Blackspots Program, which is seeing fibre rolled out in remote locations around Australia. We think the photo above is a classic — up there with the Minister’s big red button moment.

In the third picture it’s Conroy along with Peter McGrath (managing director, Leighton Telecommunications) and Peter Harrison (general manager, Nextgen Networks) — left to right.

Image credit: Nextgen Networks