Australian National Broadband Network Announcement

[TarJak]

Australian Government announces that they have scrapped the tender process to have a private operator build the new fibre to the home network to create a public/private entity to do the build.

Good for the economy and jobs as long as it doesn't end up in a bun fight between the govt and the private investors:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/07/2536726.htm

[bookworm_020]

I can see Telstra thinking this will be their in back into the game!

[Jimbuna]

Just reading those comments on the link TJ and I'm a bit suprised at the mixed messages. I'd have thought it would have been more widely supported :hmmm:

[TheDudTorpedo]

I don't hold any hope for this......according to some reports the capital needed is $38 billion, of which the government will fund $3 to $4 billion. Under the current crisis, who will be prepared to put those amounts forward? And 8 years to complete? Wow...three federal elections away :hmmm:

This sounds like another Telstra in the making...and we Australians all know what fantastic service that little monopoly delivered.

Sadly, I think this is more political spin, or grabbing at good-news straws, when there isn't much other good news out there.:zzz:

[baggygreen]

Interesting to see how it develops. I dont think it'll get very far.

[TarJak]

Just saw Krudd interviewed on the telly tonight. Kerry O'Brien was giving him a hard time about the numbers but he was pretty steady under questioning.

The number is close to AU $43b over 8 years. Gov't wants 51% of the new company which it will attempt to downsell once the job is done. That means the Gov't has to put in a minimum of AU$23b over the 8 years hoping the other AU$20b gets picke up by the private sector and assuming

I think I'd prefer getting firbre to the home rather than the crap fibre to the node plan they had for the original RFP that was sent out. Faster and slightly more future proof. Question is can we afford to spend at least $23b over the next 8 years? And what happens if the privae sector decides to wait until the job is done before buying in?

[Jimbuna]

And what happens if the privae sector decides to wait until the job is done before buying in?

The opposition party will be pointing out the reason for larger taxes....citing the present governing party no doubt :DL

[TarJak]

Couple of interesting articles on the ongoing discussion:

http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25307266-15306,00.html

:oAU$100 per month for an internet connection. I don't care how fast it is it aint worth that much to me: http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25307287-5013041,00.html

[Falkirion]

I'm actually not liking the idea. Wireless is the way of the future and this feels like a step into the past.

Another blunder by Krudd, at least that $900 he's giving me will be well spent elsewhere

[TarJak]

When you can get 100mbps wireless then come and see me. Wireless is great for laptop/mobile access, but is not going to get you the speed you need for things like on demand HD movie downloads anytime soon. It's fine for broadcast media but when you have 5 million plus people all wanting different content at the same time it becomes a nightmare on wireless.

[baggygreen]

When you can get 100mbps wireless then come and see me. Wireless is great for laptop/mobile access, but is not going to get you the speed you need for things like on demand HD movie downloads anytime soon. It's fine for broadcast media but when you have 5 million plus people all wanting different content at the same time it becomes a nightmare on wireless.But will this be the case in 8 years time? 8 years ago, speeds higher than 28.8kbps were unheard of, and yet now 10mbps or higher is relatively commonplace. There has been a similar growth in wireless tech over he past few years.

I will say this - Its about time that something definite has been announced re our 2nd rate internet. Howard could've done this 5 years ago and we'd all be better off, but he didnt. Oh well. FTTH is a significantly better idea in theory than FTTN is, too, but it does mean significantly more costs in the construction phase..

[TarJak]

I don't doubt wireless speeds will advance in the next 8 years but will they catch up and outstrip wired comms advances in the same period? Present evidence says not likely.

I agree the upfront cost will be massive but what of the cost of waiting until there is a wireless tech that matches current wired?

[bookworm_020]

Also the spectrum for wireless is getting crowded and many of the top tec experts have said that it will never match a landline for speed or reliability.

[TarJak]

Also the spectrum for wireless is getting crowded and many of the top tec experts have said that it will never match a landline for speed or reliability.
:yep:

[SteamWake]

A 'bun fight' ?

[TarJak]

Er yeah. It's basically a slanging match.