• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

The NBN (National Broadband Network)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
I guess I'd make more sense if I explained why I think NBN (or something like it) is strategically important.

In my opinion the world economy will change dramatically over the coming few decades, and a new economy will develop as an extension of the current digital economy, and the fast global network will be at the heart of it.

This new first tier will be transnational. It will become the case that individual communities can participate in the new first tier economy, because they have a good enough network to qualify, but the lack of a good enough network will be sufficient to disqualify any given community from participating.

But, nations that mobilise their technology en masse will have enormous advantages, due to their economic power as nations. I want Australia to be in the new first tier as a nation. Otherwise, the damage to our society would be severe, with an American style wealth gap, or worse, developing. I think it would be the end for regional Australia if that were to happen.

I know this all sounds pie-in-the-sky, when most people are just talking about streaming porn, but I'm in a company that is developing products now for fast broadband. Our long-term projects are intended purely for businesses (they are to do with remote automation) but I talk with people who are developing the consumer equivalents.

In a decade, without a world-class network, Australians could start to face restrictions on what computers and kitchen appliances they can buy, and once that starts to happen, it will be hard to stop.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Groucho, no problem, you've stated your case and I mine. It's going to proceed no matter what a dumb engineer like myself thinks anyway.
 

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Australia may have low levels of public debt in comparison to many other developed nations, but we don't have low levels of public debt per say.

I'm afraid you've lost me with the remainder of this paragraph though - how does it relate to this NBN proposal?

Interesting also that you mention the US. My understanding is that our NBN will cost multiple times their fast broadband per capita. Surely this is an argument against the size/extent of the NBN, not for it?

The USA is looking with interest at what we do with NBN.

The current American model is to allow the private sector to compete to provide wholesale services, but there is a good deal of uncertainty about whether that will work. There is an undercurrent of opinion that they should repeat the Interstate construction project and get it done fast.

The long-term goal of US broadband policy is to eventually provide FTTH, by whatever means. The final per capita cost of that will certainly be much less than NBN, because it costs much less to deliver FTTH in the USA.
 

Scotty

David Codey (61)
Groucho,

I have no doubt that long term the NBN is going to be a good investment, I just question its requirement within the next 10 years to be FTTH. I have next to no doubt that it will not be utilised sufficiently within 10 years to warrant its cost, particularly if the world goes into a double dip recession in the next year or two (where Australia will then have no capacity to withstand it).

I especially question the merits of the country first roll out proposal due to Labor bending over for the independents. They have sold their soul, and our money on that one.

You make a strong case for its requirement, however looking at a technology leading country such as Japan you have to think 'where has it got them'?
 

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Groucho,

I have no doubt that long term the NBN is going to be a good investment, I just question its requirement within the next 10 years to be FTTH. I have next to no doubt that it will not be utilised sufficiently within 10 years to warrant its cost, particularly if the world goes into a double dip recession in the next year or two (where Australia will then have no capacity to withstand it).

I especially question the merits of the country first roll out proposal due to Labor bending over for the independents. They have sold their soul, and our money on that one.

You make a strong case for its requirement, however looking at a technology leading country such as Japan you have to think 'where has it got them'?

Yeah, the deal with the independents to favour the regions was particularly unattractive politicking, and not in the interests of the project or the country. Yuk.
 

naza

Alan Cameron (40)
Australia may have low levels of public debt in comparison to many other developed nations, but we don't have low levels of public debt per say.

Its per se.

As a taxpayer, I'd love for the government to find $45 billion for transportation. Sydney is badly in need of an overhaul.

As an IT worker I'd love for the NBN to happen. I could see myself contracting for years to the NBN, charging like a wounded bull. All aboard the gravy train !
 

Scotty

David Codey (61)
And the next stage in the saga is to change from an opt in system to an opt out one. I think it is pretty obvious what that signifies.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...to-boost-take-up/story-fn59niix-1225935147644

A few points here:

1. Bank leaders are calling for a proper cost/benefit analysis to be done. These guys know what they are talking about, but no doubt the government will still stick their heads in the sand and continue to throw money at it.

2. Bartlett says that approximately 50% of home owners have agreed to take the fibre to their homes to become NBN ready. This doesn't actually cost them anything, which means only 1 in 2 home owners are rejecting a free connection because they see no likelihood of ever using it!

3. NBN co are refusing to release data on the number of subscribers to the services. What chance of that data being positive? So we have a government organisation refusing to withhold data until either a) it gets better or b) they can find some way to spin the result. Typical Labor way.
 

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
Why would you opt out of something that's free which will carry your Phone, TV and Internet?
Unless you're a complete idiot.
 

naza

Alan Cameron (40)
Why would you opt out of something that's free which will carry your Phone, TV and Internet?
Unless you're a complete idiot.

Strange. Its not like the government will give you a NBN tax exemption if you don't take it up, so you may as well get connected. Tasweigans are a strange lot.
 

MrTimms

Ken Catchpole (46)
Staff member
Is there no cost for connection AFTER the initial roll out?

If that is the case, why would you let someone run a cable into your house you weren't going to use. I already have TV, internet and phone running in, why would I want another one, one I am not going to use anyway.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top