The NBN (National Broadband Network)

[BPC]

On reading both the articles properly, the thing that struck me was that journalism in this country has gone to the dogs.

The delimiter was really just a rehash of the zdnet article. I hope delimiter aren't paying that 'journalist' too much.

The zdnet article simply reports on what was said at a Budget Estimates Committee. Where is the analysis? Did the perpetrator of this article think to ask NBNCo or Turnbull's office about why the deal to access the Umina exchange was only completed last week? Is the explanation reasonable or specious? The NBNCo states that it can't discriminate between service providers and this is a matter for the government. How about asking NBNCo whether it had asked the government to change the laws? If not, why not? What is the government going to do about it?

Without asking these sort of questions, the opinion in both articles is worth slightly less than the toilet paper I used this morning.


The line trying to link the delays the last government faced and the delays this government is facing is utter tosh as the issues are evidently different. Concluding that this government is also facing delays, without any attempt to understand the delays and why they occurred, with the insinuation that this government is no better than the last is just garbage journalism. If you are going to go down that path, map out the delays each government faced and why it did or did not respond properly rather than throw a handful of facts up in he air, with minimal context, and assume that they will land in a pattern that demonstrates governmental incompetence.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[boyo]

News Corp CFO to lead NBN Co’s financials

http://delimiter.com.au/2014/06/04/news-corp-cfo-lead-nbn-cos-financials/

"The National Broadband Network has taken the extraordinary step of hiring one of the most senior executives of media organisation News Corp Australia to be its new chief financial officer, in a move which appears destined to bolster theories about the Coalition’s close connections with the Murdoch publishing empire."

"Rue’s appointment runs directly contrary to comments made by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull prior to the election that he would seek new management for NBN Co which had direct experience with the telecommunications sector, with Rue appearing to lack such experience. In addition, Rue’s appointment also comes as a number of executives who have had close links to Turnbull or the Coalition have been appointed to senior positions at NBN Co.
opinion/analysis
Wow. Just wow. The message being sent here couldn't possibly be clearer. And I think at this point we can all see what it is. I am sure Stephen Rue is a highly competent and respected executive in his field. But just wow."

Mtm can now also be referred to as the Murdoch Telstra mix.

 

[boyo]

NBN Co “misleading” FTTN/FTTB users, says ACCC

http://delimiter.com.au/2014/06/04/nbn-co-misleading-fttnfttb-users-says-accc/

"The head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission this morning said NBN Co would be “misleading” consumers on its planned Fibre to the Node or Basement (FTTN/B) infrastructure if it went through with its decision to allow them to order speeds between 50Mbps and 100Mbps which their connections could not actually deliver."

"opinion/analysis
It’s not surprising that the ACCC would view NBN Co’s proposal here as deceptive. I’ve been covering Australian telecommunications for a decade now, and this is definitely the kind of move which the ACCC is always — always — interested in. NBN Co is, ultimately, a telco like any other, and the ACCC is not the kind of regulator to look the other way when a telco takes active steps to deceive customers."

The National Party labelled FTTN "fraudband".

 

[boyo]

"So, we're spending money, on something Australia will never own, and paying Telstra to fix their own network, and then they'll charge the public to use it?"

They are the words of a company credit controller.

FTTN is temporary.

FTTN will be replaced with FTTH at end of decade.

Pay billions more merely to delay the inevitable?

 

[boyo]

 

[boyo]

Is it too late to save the NBN?

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2014/6/12/technology/it-too-late-save-nbn

"Time is running out for the new NBN Co chief executive, Bill Morrow, to prevent the National Broadband Network from becoming a national embarrassment. Or is it already too late?
It is only a matter of time before damning pictures and videos of the pitiful state of the NBN construction effort become the focus of national media attention.
Any potential future Royal Commission should reserve ‘exhibit A’ for the pictures and videos of unacceptable fibre installations into premises doing the rounds.
To witness the construction mess unfolding across the nation is truly a tragedy of epic proportions that no one in the telecommunications industry wanted to see but, like a train wreck already in motion, appears unstoppable."

"Turnbull made a commitment to provide greater transparency into the day-to-day workings at NBN Co and how NBN Co was going to turn around the flailing fibre rollout.
The question then for NBN Co boss Bill Morrow is, “What is being done to correct the flawed construction processes, how will the MTM NBN 2.0 be completed before 2020 given worker shortages and when will premises with fibre installation be inspected and remediation work carried out if necessary?”

This comment is pertinent:-
"We live in Sydney, up until recently we had ADSL running between 1 and 2 Mb/s - but now the network is so clogged we cant even connect to the internet during peak hours (6pm to 8:30pm). The government should be held to account for their incompetence at failing to provide the basic economic infrastructure this country will need to develop industries outside of mining, banking, and property speculation. Clearly Australia does not want to become an advanced economy, doesn't see the need to move up the value chain in terms of technology. Abbott's slogan of 'open for business' should be changed to 'up for sale'."

 

[boyo]

ServiceStream contract renewed despite NBN rollout issues
http://www.smh.com.au/business/serv...espite-nbn-rollout-issues-20140612-39yuf.html

 

[Pfitzy]

The image of the Harbour Bridge is an apt one in relation to Runner's questions below:

" in the long-run, (FTTP wouldn't) actually cost the Government anything, with the money to be recouped through monthly broadband subscriber fees."

A hope. No company would build on that suggestion. What will be the rate?
Over what time frame?

I agree - very difficult for anyone to predict when they're going to make their money back on such a large project. However, ISPs are already offering FTTP services, and offering them at reasonable prices considering the speed and connection advantages wrapped up in the technology over the existing copper.

I remember when ADSL1 was $50 for a minimal connection - NOT counting your phone line rental (shit, Telstra STILL rip people off in this regard). But the price has come down with widespread availability and companies looking at the long term. Same will occur with FTTH/P

The point I'm making is this: the Harbour Bridge was built because it was seen as a necessity, despite the cost, the lives that would inevitably be lost, and the time taken (9 years) for it to be completed, AND the fact that a global financial depression landed right in the middle of it.

The alternative was the slower "Five Bridges" route, or ferry, which was impractical for an increasingly mobile suburban workforce.

Anything sounding familiar yet?

Snowy Mountains Scheme falls into the same category - big project. No real aim for profit. But necessary, job-creating, and positive impact despite a 25-year construction period.

Better internet is required. This is non-negotiable. There is a cost to do this - also non-negotiable.

Both sides of politics have proven completely unreliable when it comes to estimating figures for this. Nearly no plan survives first contact with the enemy so pissing and moaning about that won't change.

But if we pour the man hours into making this happen, only to have it happen again in 15 years when the FTTN solution wears out, then what the fuck have we done? Repeated history.

 

[boyo]

NBN debate heats up at IEEE conference

http://delimiter.com.au/2014/06/17/nbn-debate-heats-ieee-conference/

Where is the network, Malcolm?

A comment:-

My suburb was in the 12-month rollout plan prior to the election, and is conspicuous by it’s absence from the current plans. My parents’ entire *town* was in either the “Construction Commence” or “1-year” categories prior to the election, 9 months ago, and now none of it is even in “Build Preparation”.
So, no, not sooner, probably not cheaper, definitely not faster speeds, and definitely not in the long term interests of the nation. What’s not to love about the CBN?

 

[boyo]

NBN cost-benefit arithmetic might not add up

http://www.businessspectator.com.au...ogy/nbn-cost-benefit-arithmetic-might-not-add

"In about two weeks one of the biggest missing pieces of the Coalition government’s National Broadband Network (NBN) puzzle will see the light of day. The panel conducting theindependent cost-benefit analysis and review of regulation of the NBN, headed by Dr Michael Vertigan, is widely expected to deliver an outcome that should be palatable to the Coalition, however, just what it intends for the long-term health of the network and NBN Co remains to be seen."

"And why carry out a cost-benefit analysis without doing a performance analysis and life cycle cost analysis? Completing a life cycle cost analysis is mandatory for large Defence projects, so why not do one for the NBN?
And to do a life cycle costing and performance analysis correctly there is a need for a technical specification. What this means is the opportunity exists to compare the former government’s NBN and Turnbull’s MTM NBN 2.0 head to head over the anticipated system lifetime.
The all-fibre access network lifetime is 50-80 years. Does Turnbull’s MTM NBN 2.0 have a similar lifetime or is it already obsolete by then? If the lifetime of the MTM NBN 2.0 is set at 10 years, is this being too generous? Would you spend $43 billion on a system with a 10-year lifetime?"

"Budding engineers learn at an early age that an orange designed by a panel of accountants, economists and politicians will always remain a lemon. So where does this leave the CBA?"

 

[boyo]

 

[boyo]

 

[Runner]

More one sided view from poor Conroy who is irrelevant particularly after threating public servants. Glad that the senate was full to hear this.

 

[boyo]

A precis of that speech (which includes some of the old political/business mates’ network that MT is relying on to produce his 'independent reviews'):-

Henry Ergas
a) The ACCC shreds Ergas’ credibility as an expert witness.
b) 2008 – Employed by MT to review Australia’s Tax system. Never released.
c) 2009 – Makes NBN price prediction shown to be totally unfounded and incorrect.
d) Last election was a booth captain for the Liberal Party
e) $1,400 per day for Expert Panel over 6 months.
f) $263,000 of tax payer money since inquiry announced.
g) Ergas sat before Senate Committee and said a CBA could be done in three days.
h) Effective daily rate of $87,500 per day.

Dr Alex Robson
a) senior economic advisor to MT between Jan. 2008 – Jan. 2009
b) Protégé of Mr Ergas – co-author of paper that claimed averaging $170pm for an NBN connection.
c) Dr Robson also worked at Ergas’ failed firm ‘Concept Economics’.
d) $44,000 to Griffith University for Robson’s contribution.

Ms Emma Lanigan
a) cost modelling
b) ex-employee of Ergas and Associates, then Networks Economics then Concept Economics
c) worked for Henry Ergas for 3 years in 2006 – 09.
d) selected by Mr Ergas.

Other staff....
a) Mr Kevin Morgan – earning up to $50,000. One of the very vocal critics of the original NBN, appearing with MT et al, supporting Graham Lynch, to destroy the NBN.
b) Mr Nigel Pugh once worked for Ergas at Concept Economics.
c) Mr David Kennedy - ex-chief of staff to Liberal communications minister Alston.
Both Mr Pugh and Mr Kennedy are earning approximately $75,000 for their input into the review.

The 'Peer Review', which supposedly provides validity to the processes in making the findings and recommendations are being undertaken by ....
a) Professor Pincus – Declared and published opposition to NBN and supports Wireless.
b) Clifford Winston – Brookings Institute. Both taught classes in same place in 2011.


So the six reviews initiated by MT are costing more $10m, and often conducted by MT's mates and appointees.
Often overseen by J.B. Rousselot (MT's mate) with whom he co-owned a yacht for many years.

 

[Runner]

Boyo
So the six reviews initiated by MT are costing more $10m, and often conducted by MT's mates and appointees.

Often overseen by J.B. Rousselot (MT's mate) with whom he co-owned a yacht for many years.

Did Smith and a few others in ALP have some explaining to do about Eddie and their relationship.

I can remember ALP appointed union officials on the Arbitration commission doing investigations.

So lets just realize that Conroy tried to Nationalize the communications system after Telstra was part privatized. Any price was always going to be agreeable to meet that fundamental socialist agenda.

 

[boyo]

Ziggy Switkowski was in charge of Kodak when they tried to protect traditional photography from digital photography (at great expense and with government financial support ), which ultimately failed.

Technology killed Kodak.

He is repeating history at NBNCo.

 

[Pfitzy]

Ziggy Switkowski was in charge of Kodak when they tried to protect traditional photography from digital photography (at great expense and with government financial support ), which ultimately failed.

Technology killed Kodak.

He is repeating history at NBNCo.

And yet the slimy bastards keep getting jobs as CEOs. Good wicket eh? Can't tell the truth in case it upsets the shareholder. Don't innovate! There's risk involved!

 

[boyo]

Telstra's NBN Co fibre deal is more than just a trial

http://www.businessspectator.com.au...gy/telstras-nbn-co-fibre-deal-more-just-trial

"You know something is afoot when Malcolm Turnbull turns to social media and a gaggle of politicians toannouncean agreement between NBN Co and Telstra to commence the National Broadband Network (NBN) fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) rollout with a new contract that will see 1000 nodes deployed and 206,000 premises connected to the NBN.

Turnbull’s announcement to parliament highlights the government’s desire to get on with the task of rolling out a multi-technology mix (MTM) NBN. But wait, didn’t the minister tell Australians that there needed to be a cost benefit analysis (CBA) before we could really trulyknow just how bad for the nation the former government’s decision to roll out fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) was?

And didn’t he promise to provide all Australians with not less than 25 Mbps download before the end of 2016?"

Another lie from MT (to add to the ever-growing list).

 

[boyo]

The Mtm rollout so far:-


FTTN = Delayed and issues (power and copper).
FTTB = (FTT basement. Used for unit blocks, etc.) Delayed meaning more time for TPG/Telstra/Others to extend using 1km rule.
Telstra agreement = Delayed.
CBA = Delayed.
FTTP = Slower now than previously.

 

[boyo]

Broader scrutiny of NBN closer to reality

http://www.afr.com/p/technology/broader_scrutiny_of_nbn_closer_to_iptaLczGqcMUW5uTbKWYQN

"The cost-benefit analysis will be relying on the cost modelling done by NBN Co, but the panel has advised the Senate committee on the NBN that they will look at variations on these scenarios for faster and slower rollout.
The critical new information will be conclusions the panel reaches about the direct and indirect benefits of the NBN under different scenarios. The panel has contracted two international experts on demand modelling to participate in the peer review of the methodology. This is the aspect of the cost-benefit analysis that needs greatest scrutiny and will be published in sufficient detail to enable public interrogation.
The NBN Co strategic review models should be re-evaluated on the basis of these demand models. It assumed extremely little revenue differential between a fibre-to-the-premises model and the multi-technology mix. These reduced NBN Co’s “steady state” revenue for the fibre scenarios by about a third, and contributed to the increase in peak funding for the “revised outlook”.
Having made the decision to explore the alternatives that have become available since Labor commenced the project, the financial comparison is appropriate. The cost-benefit analysis will be superior to the strategic review by including detailed demand modelling and externality assessments."