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The Forum > Article Comments > 1000Mbps is sexy, it’s cool, but is it worth $43bn? > Comments

1000Mbps is sexy, it’s cool, but is it worth $43bn? : Comments

By Jeff Hosking, published 17/8/2010

There has been a lot of hype about the national broadband network but do we really need its speed and capacity now?

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If Julia gets back in, & gets labors carbon trading scheme, & alternate power schemes in, we won't need any fast broadband.

Our wind powered computers will be so slow, when they have any power at all, we will be remembering, fondly, the good old days of dial up.
Posted by Hasbeen, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 4:11:44 PM
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This is not an all or nothing debate.

This is about building layers of broad band capability,
1) Main back bone
2) fibre to street corners
3) Fibre to the houses.

The coalition is offering step 1 and 2
Labor is offering step 1, 2, and 3.

Step 3 is 86% of the cost, and delivers little to no benefit to the 90% of people who will not use more than 10Mbps in their lifetime.

Step 3 is also the step that can be implemented on an as needs basis, so the tech heads that need and can afford to pay can buy into a say 2 year plan as you do with mobile phones.

My biggest issue with the NBN is that while pretending to be fiscally responsible Labor is preparing to spend a huge fortune on the stage 3 of the project which even Mikk acknowledges only caters for technology that does not yet exist.

Stage 3 should be deferred until at least the budget is balanced or in surplus.
Posted by Shadow Minister, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 4:18:08 PM
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Phil,

'more should be invested in Australia's future in many different areas of society and technology.'

Which is my point about whether we need it now. There are other priorities. Possibly solar farms for the AGW disciples. There's plenty of transport infrastructure in Sydney needed. Actually it's a bit like the recently dumped Metro in Sydney.

You act as if we have no broadband internet. Many people already have faster than 12MB.

Hazza,

'instead of having to cram in as close as possible to their office, and commute/drive between twice a day, just to do the exact same thing?'

That's possible now. But bosses are never too keen. They don't trust their workers as I said.

It's definitely not the technology that's preventing this happening now. You don't need much speed or bandwidth to remote desktop.

I think yours and Phil's arguments are symptomatic of the problems in the debate thus far. It's almost as if the NBN is inventing Broadband. Most of these great 'new' uses are possible now in cities, and the coalition policy is to make it so in the country.

SM,

You're a shameless and tireless coalition campaigner, but in this case I think you're right.
Posted by Houellebecq, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 5:23:40 PM
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For those who ask for more "speed", the speed of the internet is nearly identical regardless of the medium - already close to the speed of light. Those values that we nick-name "speed" are in fact BANDWIDTH - how much data can pass in a given time-period (provided that the servers can supply the same).

The simplest way to increase bandwidth, is to use several lines in parallel. Using 2 lines doubles the bandwidth, using 3 lines triples it, etc. As it stands, every house is allocated 2 copper lines. Of course, if everyone needed more than 2 lines there wouldn't be enough for all, but most homes use only one (or none), so those few businesses that really need a higher bandwidth and are willing to pay for it, can use those spare lines. They probably do so already.
Posted by Yuyutsu, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 5:49:05 PM
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Did I mention that, under a public system, the actual cost of a 43 billion dollar piece of infrastructure breaks down to each Australian paying a single dollar a day for six years to pay it off completely (with a bit left over for maintenance/management)?

Anyway, so long as its not flogged off after completion- worst of all to Telstra, we could actually be having quite a good thing on our hands. As said- time to build a bridge over Telstra- and pick up where we left off and start this new communication medium with them OUT of the picture.

Anyway
Houellebecq, partly correct- as employers of most businesses insist on traditional forms of attendance, while basic html and email tend to be reasonably fast on the lesser settings.

However, it is mainly cities that have the best access to broadband, and thus better disposed to frequently consult and update customer databases, teleconference or some other real-time communication over the web, or need to transfer larger packets of data between computers (most notably, the actual business software and updates that the computer user would need- and this IS something more and more businesses actually require as standard practice.

Not to mention something like real-time stock exchange viewing while simultaneously maintaining an open communication link between all members of your company along with all major updates, would most DEFINITELY require such a proposal.
Posted by King Hazza, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 7:03:36 PM
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King Hazza,

As this money is borrowed, the dollar a day per adult just covers the interest with a little over (at the treasury rate)
Posted by Shadow Minister, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 7:08:45 PM
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