When Australia goes to the polls on August 21st, citizens will vote for more than men and the traditional issues they represent -- the ballots cast will directly impact the country's national broadband plan. Where Australia's ruling Labor party
had pledged A$43 billion for an up-to-100Mbps fiber optic network fed directly to
90 99 percent of homes (and
agreed to pay A$11 billion to Telstra) over the next seven to eight years, the opposing Liberal-National coalition says if elected, it will scrap that notion in favor of a cheaper A$6.3 billion plan. That money would create a fiber-optic backbone by 2017 but actually connects homes with hybrid fiber-coaxial connections, DSL and about A$2 billion worth of wireless, with a minimum promised speed of 12Mbps. The coalition says these services would cover 97 percent of Australians, with satellite coverage for the final 3 percent, and that those networks receiving funds from the project and connecting to the backbone would have to compete based on pricing (set by the country's Competition and Consumer Commission) and pledge
open access. Having never lived in Australia ourselves, we don't know what's best, but we're pretty sure we wouldn't be satisfied with the 12Mbps end of the Liberal-National stick.
Update: Labor plan is to bring 100Mbps to 99 percent of the population, not 90 percent as originally stated.
posted August 10th 2010 9:50PM
Ive been to austrailiea, the plans are incredibly stupid, they are not based on speed like here in america, but they are based on data, the middle plan is a 6gb per month download plan, which i find incredibly stupid... If you go over the limit, the carrier slows down your internet speed to a crawl "think 56k dial up modem" its incredibly stupid. Im super happy i have comcast, and im not complaining because i am never going to use 250 gb per month
@Hell Angel
"the middle plan is a 6gb per month download plan" - that is not even close to the truth! It is possible to get very low capped plans such as that however it is just as easy to get some much higher caps also.
For example, I'm on a top-speed 80GB/month plan, it costs $79.95.
If I were particularly concerned about download quota, I would be with TPG who supply a plan 180GB/month plan for $49.95.
@SomeDudeFromOz
I have family in Sydney and I have been to their house, and that is what they said was happening. They might have a different carrier.
@Hell Angel you need to remember the US is the centre of the universe so most of the internet is there or goes through there.
We in the land of OZ (that's Australia) have to get most of our content from offshore and there are only so many data links in the sea.
Considering the quantity of data you can now get for your dollar here (as others have pointed out), plans based by data allowance are really not an issue.
@Hell Angel
Yes, unfortunately a lot of the population stick with the major carriers (Telstra, Optus) for a phone+internet package, which usually offer pathetic data caps for those that don't "need" a lot of data.
If your family is hitting their 6GB cap, you may want to recommend that they look elsewhere for their services. Fast-churning is standard industry practice so the down-time is minimal when switching carriers.
Cheers!
@SomeDudeFromOz
We got 24mbit/s and a 100GB cap for $40/m. TPG is offering 500GB for $60/m.
The stupid cap days ended a few years ago when high speed internet competition boomed.
I like the option that pledges openness and lets companies compete for consumers. Reminds me of how the US government set up the backbone and then privatized it for consumers. Sounds all-around good. And it's cheaper.
@Mike10010100 And from an aussie, the speed is pathetic. I'm achieving that now through cable so am I supposed to just have this as a max speed until well after 2017 with no further speed improvements in the works?
The NBN would allow for future-proofing a lot more than a hybrid network that would only have to be replaced very soon anyway, probably with the same fibre network Labour is trying to add in and with inflation will cost more in the long run. The NBN numbers have also been recently updated to cover 93% of homes with the rest covered by wired/wireless. If the money isnt spent on NBN they will just find some other thing to waste it on.
So whats better...
100Mbps to 93% of Australia around 2017-2019 getting rid of the bullshit Telstra prices etc or....
12Mbps to 97% by 2017 and leave Telstra to charge as more to wholesalers for their copper lines than they do to consumers.
I know my choice.
@Forphucsake
Your explanation was so clear and simple that obviously you cannot be a politician. But if you were you would get my vote... if I could vote of course...
@Mike10010100
Cheaper =/= Better
While the Hybrid sounds good now, it will be obsolete in a few years and then you're back to the same plan that was proposed before.
Not to mention that their plan is for a connection that is literally almost 10 times slower.
@Forphucsake
Thanks for clarifying. Faster speeds are awesome. Carry on.
@Mike10010100
So taxpayers paid for it, but now we have to pay a monthly fee to a company to access it? Why does this not make sense?
Why didn't the government allow users to pay them directly for access? Maybe we wouldn't have as big of a debt if we did that. Or maybe we would be able to get really cheap access...
@Mike10010100
"I like the option that pledges openness and lets companies compete for consumers. Reminds me of how the US government set up the backbone and then privatized it for consumers. Sounds all-around good."
Making airy fairy pledges is nothing, Labor could put their hand on their heart & say exactly the same for their plan. What's more important is what will actually deliver.
Liberal plan is maintaining the status quo with a few legislation tweaks to somehow magically make things more competitive (like that hasn't been tried for the past 10yrs). Backbone infrastructure is not the main problem and that's all their plan promises to rectify. And because there's no detailed costing (unlike the NBN plan) it's hard to say whether it will even deliver decent backbone, let alone "the last mile"!
If they are going to do the cheaper plan then they best make sure that it will be a cheap upgrade in the future. No sense in doing it if it will just cost more than the initial 43M dollar plan that was originally in place.
If they are going to do the cheaper plan then they best make sure that it will be a cheap upgrade in the future. No sense in doing it if it will just cost more than the initial 43M dollar plan that was originally in place.
Countrywide Internet for all!
In other news: Is anyone watching the Brazil/U.S game? It's sad :(
That picture brings a new definition to the word "CATfish"
@ai3rocks57 no that's how they lay underwater cables here.
They throw a box of CAT 6 on the back of fishing boat and lay it out.
@Indefinite Implosion
Mind telling us why it's rubbish? According to the article, it's cheaper, covers more people, ensures openness, and privatizes the internet for competition. How is this bad?
Even if it happens - the Aus Gov will do something to stuff it all up.
Internet filter is just fail, if Labor wins, we [might] get our NBN, but with the filter. The people that are in the know will work a way around it (VPN, etc).
@anthony256
Good sir you are horribly misinformed. It's due to industry groups such as SAGE-AU, IIA, GetUp and the Australian public that PROTESTED for TWO YEARS to get the Filter scrapped. I'll remind you that the Liberals never voted against the filter, infact they never had a stance on the issue (didn't oppose or agree) until around 2 weeks ago. Please take your negativity elsewhere, the techs are busy trying to get you connected to facebook @ light speed.
@gaiamind - How am I "misinformed" by giving my personal opinion. The Australian Government did what with Telstra? Now we're buying them back? How is that a good thing - what a waste of TAX payers money.
Liberal's are only catching up, I'm betting they didn't expect a shotgun election this early.
@anthony256
So what you're saying is that you would prefer tax payer money to go to a Corporation (Telstra) and leave it up to them to upgrade the existing infrastructure? Howard got us in to this mess mate, not the Libs stale election promises. Libs support has also peaked. Vote Greens to have NO filter running on our 100mbps connections ~
@Indefinite Implosion
Filters been dumped, mate.
@Sean Hollister The National Broadband Network was designed to be open access and owned by the public, breaking the monopoly that Telstra currently has over all of us with their copper network. Rolling out fibre to the home would also bypass RIMs and Pair Gain (DSL being incompatible with these) that some are currently suffering through. Labor (and NBN Co.) recently updated the figures from 90% of homes having fibre to 93% having fibre and the rest being covered by fixed wireless and satellite.
@Indefinite Implosion
Voting for the Greens just gives the vote to Labour!
The issue with the Liberal's policy is that it has been hastily put together within the last 2-3 weeks leading up to the election. Six months ago the Opposition (Liberals) had NO say on the Internet Filter and absolutely no reply to the NBN. Their policies regarding anything to do with I.T are so blatantly lacking substance and truth I believe the Liberal party has peaked in their support, if anyone is still falling for Abbotts spin I feel woefully sorry for you. Vote Greens to have NO filter running on our 100mbps connections ~
@gaiamind
It would be dumb to vote Greens if the policy you're mainly voting on is NBN.
Because despite preferences (which don't always flow 100%) this would lessen the number of seats that Labor has a chance to win.
It only takes one seat to go to the Greens in the lower-house and the election is lost by Labor, it's that close!
If NBN is your no.1 policy issue you need to vote Labor for lower house.
You vote 1 for the Greens in the "Senate" (upper-house) so that they along with the Libs (who usually oppose just for opposing's sake anyway) can block or water-down netfilter legislation.
Politics 101 ;)
Everything in Australia is overpriced. Our internet and mobile phone plans are ridiculous and stupid.
@Pearl Jam
Erm, no;
Look at what you pay with AT&T and what we pay with Vodafone/Three/Optus. Then compare you're minimum pay layers and then ours, not only do we pay less but we get payed more.
Then we have Telstra, you complain about your shitty AT&T but then we have Telstra, incredible speeds and coverage, from dense cities to rural areas, everyone gets it but you do pay for it.
For 59$ a month (about 50$ US) you get 2GB of internet, unlimited texting and an iPhone 4 (FOR FREE) and about 800$ of credit towards calls.
So yeah, though it seems expensive, it really isn't.
@Seakip
You assumed I was a Yank! I'm not...
Australian politicians don't even know what 12Mbs even means, Let alone Upload speeds, pings & latency.. The lib's network is rubbish.. I got a taste of fibre networks in europe & have to say it is the only way to go.
Also, the liberal policy still keeps much of the network control in the hands of telstra, who have to this point, done little to increase the overall speeds, cost effectiveness & network access availability.
@pixelwhip
politicians everywhere have very little idea of what that means, it wont be till our generation and the ones after us get in power they will have any idea of the importance of proper internet infrastructure. And yea some of the networks in europe like in the Scandinavia countries are quite amazing.
@Pearl Jam
Telstra, Optus and iprimus are going to implement the filter voluntarily.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telstra-and-optus-to-start-clean-feed-to-block-child-pornography-web-pages/story-e6frgakx-1225903166489
@Mike10010100
The article comes straight from the Liberal party and has since been subjected to public scrutiny and found very much wanting.
The Liberals have it in their heads that the way forward for fast broadband is the rollout of wireless technology. They do not have any understanding of issues such as shared bandwidth and techical limitations.
Since then, the Liberal leader has been completely torn apart in the very first interview asking about the plan and you can see for yourself how completely inane it is.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/11/2979410.htm
I can pledge you $5 billion later or 50 bucks now, which is it? (hint: knowing myself I'd suggest you take the latter, seriously)
@Indefinite Implosion
I've been interested in moving to Australia for a while now. I think within the next couple years I will make the swtich. From what I've read internet is capped and seems to be filtered...any truths to that? I'm just looking for some general info before moving.
@Indefinite Implosion
All I have to say is, from experience here in the USA back in the 90's: if you give telecoms boatloads of cash or incentives that's intended to go toward infrastructure, put SOMETHING in the bill to hold them accountable for what they do with the windfall.
Because over here, they all just sucked up $300 Billion in tax breaks and related incentives that were supposed to go toward criss-crossing the nation in fiber... turned it into short-term gains for the bottom line and never did jack.
Those decisions are coming back to haunt us big time, while we fall behind the rest of the developed world in broadband penetration and average speeds. We've got to deal with the mess, but don't make the same mistakes!
The delicate balance between voting for the filter and the national broadband network.
Writing from Melbourne Aus
on a 20mb connection syncing
@ 2.2mb (63db Atten downstream)
$90 p/m for 40gb.
It's a lose lose really. Labor will build the NBN over many years and eventually we will have internet that is no longer sub standard, but will have a filter (the same one that has been proven completely ineffective time and time again).
If we choose libs, they are promising half speed of what the majority of ADSL2+ users are getting these days in Aus over the next however many years. When finally implemented, it will be even more rubbish than it sounds now.
Things aren't looking great for Australia's internet.
@M00cow
Labor will never get the filter passed so there's no "lose lose" scenario.
Greens are against it in principle, and Liberals will block it just to continue the wedge politics they've been so brilliant at over the years.
The Greens & Libs however won't block the NBN if Labor gets into power.
@Indefinite Implosion
I cant vote yet but I would vote for Labor so the fast connection is implemented and in four years for the Liberals so they remove the filter :)
But the point behind everything is like Pearl Jam commented, here in AU the plans are based on data and everything is ridiculously expensive. We need some real competition to bring the prices down.
@Darkroom
It was an election issue last election in Australia, so it's a bit of a shame that it's once again a factor. Personally I use mega fast ADSL2+ but I don't think plain vanilla ADSL speeds is bad at all. Do we all NEED to be able to download as much video content as we would like. Still, the internet is jolly important and it strikes me that Rudd (ex PM) was being rather progressive last election, and that the Libs just want to lower infrastructure costs perhaps so that they can redirect them to other areas that they think will win them a few more votes. I just can't trust the Libs.
Terrible half-arsed plan from the Libs, which won't change a damned thing. Despite Labor's massive flaws I'm voting for the NBN.
I'm in favor of a cheaper A$6.3 Billion plan and having it compete with everyone else with open access rather than spending A$43 Billion to completely roll out this NBN over the next 5 to 7 years only to find out that it is now completely obsolete and superseded by some newer and unprecedented technology.
@mindPlus
Hi, to upgrade speeds of fiber technology @ the switch end it's (usually) just as simple as upgrading what we call 'gBic controllers' which are tiny cards that control the encapsulation speeds of fiber-optics. This means, to upgrade from 100mbps to 10gbps takes 1 tech around 30minutes to install :) I'll make it even clearer - Fiber doesn't become obsolete, its *very* scalable which is half the reason we want it!!
@gaiamind
+1
@gaiamind -
No, I'm not saying that - I'm saying what Labor is doing ($11 billion to Telstra) is a good move - it covers them. NBN + Telstra infrastructure = lots of room to move.
I will be voting greens, don't you worry about that.
But, we both know they won't get in. We need a massive change in society to let the Greens in. Everyone will vote Labor or Lib's, then give it a few months or a year and there'll be complaints.
No matter what we do - they'll screw us into the ground. Roads, and boat people get more attention than hospitals and the NBN.
Instead of spending multiple billions of dollars on a few highway extensions or underpasses to save commuters 5 minutes in traffic, why not throw that at hospitals or health care or working parents?
It really doesn't matter what we do, but I can guarantee green's won't get in - doesn't mean I won't vote for them tho.
Underdog FTW
@anthony256
Yeah I don't think many people really expect the Greens to get elected this year - the idea is to get more seats in Paliament so there is more debate in to some of the ridiculous policies both sides of Government (Libs+Lab) are proposing.
@gaiamind All very good but in 10 years time you don't know what new technology will be around. My argument is that yes we would all like the fiber but at A$43 Billion I don't think it's worthwhile investment at the current moment.