Plan B for the NBN
Summary: If there's a change in government at the next election we know the National Broadband Network will be ditched. So is there another way of achieving the objective of providing ubiquitous high speed broadband across the country?
If there's a change in government at the next election we know the National Broadband Network (NBN) will be ditched. So is there another way of achieving the objective of providing ubiquitous high speed broadband across the country?
(Credit: Collage by Phil Dobbie/ZDNet Australia)
In this week's Twisted Wire we look to see if there's an alternative plan, for either political party. How can we ensure that there's high-speed internet access in the bush and drive the country to a fibre-enabled future while minimising government investment?
The coalition has been quiet on its alternate telecommunications policy beyond saying that its focus will be on ensuring access to under-served areas. Does that mean it will disband the NBN Co and throw away all the work that has already been done?
- We try and help them formulate a more cohesive strategy with the help of:
- Guy Cranswick, IBRS advisor
- John Stanton, CEO of the Communications Alliance
- Stephen King, dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University
- Dermot Cox, business development manager at C-Cor Broadband
What's your advice to Abbott and Gillard? Should we let the NBN carry on unabated, or is this time for a rethink?
Running time: 29 minutes, 42 seconds
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Talkback
A new government could effectively scoop the cream off the top of all Labors hard work, ie they could keep the NBN, keep the Telstra deal, and then dump the ridiculous stuff such as the mandatory filter and forced ISP data retention, and effectively come out looking golden on the global telecommunications scene.
You have twice the cost of building network infrastructure and only half the customers to pay for it
It does not make any sense at all
Result - no more rollout. Telstra could afford to wear the resulting losses but Optus couldn't, so any further endusers were denied further access to HFC cable.
The predominance of the cost of the NBN is in the last mile - which is already serviced (in most areas) with a copper and 2xHFC plant. Seems silly to replicate infrastructure in these areas.
Also, I would have thought that Telstra, throwing scenarios around, as David Thodey said, then they would have thought of scenario of opening up the exchanges etc, (I think France does this).
They have already lost that bargain option.
Also, why is current regulatory framework not enough to for multiple networks to rollout? Also why would less regulation be any more success than more regulation when multiple network rollouts ?
In-regards to BPON, GPON I thought BPON was older?
Oh, in regards to backhaul pricing etc, Pacific Fibre is going to build a new international cable, by 2013.
Should help the costs and competition on that lvl.
Mr Abbott does need to re-think the NBN because I agree with you that it is a vote turner. The last thing we need is another backward thinking Prime Minister EG John Howard in speedos. This infrastructure is vital to our future so please wake up Mr Abbott and start smelling the roses.
For Australia its going to very interesting to see how NBN Business Case will take care of this. Building a backbone network is quite straight forward, but how to plan the take-up of subscribers with the very expensive homes connected part to make the Business case acceptable is the key.