The NBN (National Broadband Network)

TBH - the power problem hasn't been dealt with as the "power" for Fibre is not supplied at the Node but originates at the user's "light" source. Without the power to the light source at the site of the user no calls can be made. Electrical power cannot be supplied on the Optical Fibre so the status quo cannot continue with no changes.

Kimbah - there have been discussions but as yet there are no plans set that the ISP fella I spoke to are aware of. There are Optical Devices that do have UPS support but these are not currently available in Oz and have not been given compliance status.

I am actually Pro-NBN in some form or another, make no mistake, I live and work throughout Country Oz and mobile coverage is terrible, and where coverage is good capacity of the network is often very limited. I say that because I doubt the private sector will fund any improvements in Broadband in the bush simply a there is no real sustainability in such an investment from a business sense.

I have however come to doubt the Government's ability to the deliver the project in a cost effective efficient manner. The issues I raised in this and my previous posts on the matter should have been dealt with and the solutions published along with the full business plan. The fact that the Gov. refuses to do these basic things makes me question the whole project and its huge costs.

Well Rupert did learn from his daddy. When Keith Murdoch was a journo in WW1 he ran a concerted campaign to have Gen. John Monash removed as commander of the Australian Corps allegedly because of Monash's Jewish faith.

Surely with the flooding disaster in Qld and NSW the NBN should be put on hold and the funds redirected at rebuilding these communities and assessing ways to mitigate against any further such events? At least a proportion of the funds anyway.

So keep the fibre to the node and save 35 billion. Direct 5-6 billion for rebuilding of flood affected areas.

If its worth doing, its worth doing now. If we accept that every time there is a natural disaster of some kind all govt expenditure should cease except where it is repairing the damage just caused, almost nothing would be done. The Australian highway system was built on that way of operating, hence we have the worst system in the OECD by a long way. We don't even have a freeway between Syd and Melb yet. Spain and France and Portugal have built complete systems in the last 20 years while we have frigged around at the margins.
Murdoch is pushing the line you mentioned (and is getting Abbott to spruik it for him) because he is desperate to prevent any competition to his systems.It's no coincidence that 99% of the criticisms of the NBN are in the Murdoch press. I'm still not convinced about the NBN one way or the other, but I want better sources of criticism than regurgitated bullshit from the Australian to help me make up my mind.

I'd have thought that Murdoch would be in favour of the NBN, given that so much of his media empire is pushing towards online content these days.

When the NBN comes into operation, foxtel and cable TV setups like it will be obselete. All TV will be dispersed via the NBN. Organisations such as the ARU or even smaller bodies will have the opportunity to broadcast their own product without reference to Foxtel. Ditto for the NRL, AFL, Basketball and every other sport you can think of. Ditto for TV program production houses and news services. The television broadcasters as we know them will go the way of video stores. Critics complain that it will bring faster broadcasts of porn. Maybe it will, but it will allow the broadcast of everything that TV now brings, plus more.

Murdoch is obviously prepared to run his major newspapers at a loss. They are purely pamphlets of influence for him, something to bash the politicians over the head with. He can't run his Cable TV companies at a loss because they prop up his papers (which because of the internet are a declining force anyway).

If you think that a broadband network in Auistralia is too small beer for Murdoch to be worried, be aware that both the USA and Canada have already sent small delegations out to examine the proposals. That frightens the shit out of Murdoch and that is why he has had the Australian particularly, and other papers generally run such a strong campaign against the NBN.

As I said before, I don't have a set position on the benefits of the NBN or its viability but I will look for a much more authoritive and reliable source of information than the Murdoch papers. They havent had the integrity to declare their vested interest in this matter. Can you imagine their reaction if a government ran a campaign of any kind without declaring their vested interests, no matter how remote.

Come on Kimbah. That is a load of crap. The Pay networks will still need their own bandwidth and cable/satelite because even with the promised NBN data rates it is not sufficient to stream multiple channels in different rooms in the house at TV refresh rates, maintain broadband data link and voice services all at once. Theorecticaly the Fibre can handle the data but no ISP will be gearing up to do that sort of data to residential clients.

Also your argument regarding the highway network is flawed. Simply because the highway network didn't get developed until post WW2 simply because there was insufficient population density and demand to require the infrastructure. Sine the end of WW2 the road network has been expanding at a tremendous rate and considering the lack of population the road network covers in some instances it is very very good.

The same arguments can be made about the NBN as a whole. As I said I am an NBN supporter but more and more I believe that the fibre to the node proposal first suggested by Telstra is the most sensible option. Fibre to the home is just overkill and rediculously expensive.

Mick, my point is that Murdoch saw the writing on the wall years ago and is transitioning his content delivery towards Internet based mechanisms. Much of their recent investment has been geared toward this. For instance.

Each of Spain, Portugal and France would fit into this country about 10 times. Not quite a fair comparison.

Regarding the spending, are you saying that you would go ahead with a house extension if part of your house burnt down? Or would you fix the damaged part first?

http://blogs.news.com.au/dailyteleg...revision_of_fiscal_policies_needed_in_crisis/

Akerman agrees:

having the opportunity to and the ability are two very different things. Foxtel can afford to broadcast, the ARU couldnt, and if they were selling advertising themselves would get far less than selling to fox. this is a load of shit.

the Murdoch paper arm runs at a massive profit in this country, it includes magazines to and massive tie ins with tv, radio and internet. to say he is scared of an NBN network when his company and interests have adapted so well to changing condiions over the past decade or longer is one of the most laughable things in the world.

I think some people(Kambah) need to realise as well that Australian isnt breaking into any new territory with this Broadband, plenty of other countries in the world are already at this point and Murdoch and the other media conglomerates have already transitioned into this realm of streaming cable over the internet.

What should we do? Spend millions/billions of dollars or give some middle manager at Telstra a kick in the arse. Let your local media know about your concerns. And your federal member of Parliament, that's what we pay them for. Isn't this the sort of thing the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman's supposed to address? Check out their website, wal: http://www.tio.com.au/

I've just gone over to wireless broadband in my house, could one of the techies tell us what benefit the NBN rollout will deliver for me.

Mate, if Stephen Conroy is to be believed, we're all getting a pony too..