Television technology is developing at a fast pace and 4K looks set to be common for mainstream TV watching in countries like the US and Japan soon. Unless Australia has a broadband infrastructure plan that can accommodate such technology, we could be left behind, writes Nick Ross.

I love technology. It changes almost every day. Last week we saw the stratospheric rise of the broadband comparison site, howfastisthenbn.com.au but two days later we were reminded on Reddit that it was arguably already out of date.

Netflix, the video on demand service, which can account for one-third of all US download traffic and represents a mainstream form of US television consumption, will start using "4K" Ultra High Definition quality video in 2014. It's not beyond the realms of reason that 4K TV will be mainstream in the US by just 2016.

Displaying such content right now is something of a challenge. Just three weeks ago, Samsung launched its first 4K TV - an 85-inch behemoth that costs $40,000. This sits alongside Sony and LG's 84-inch equivalents which cost $25,000 and $16,000 respectively. Last week LG announced a new 55-inch version for $7,000. Overseas, however, Chinese company Seiki priced its 50-inch 4K TV at just $1,500. You can buy it now, in the US, for under $1,200.

You don't have to be a numbers-mad analyst to notice a trend there. 4K TVs are collapsing in price faster than any new TV technology before it.

Why is this an issue?

It's been said that only practical way of handling content for 4K TVs is using fibre-based broadband.