Jan 10
13
In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald this morning:
Broadband billions
left hanging as wireless bites back
Ari Sharp
January 13, 2010
Which stated that wireless 3G services were a runaway
success?
Consequently the opposition seized this opportunity to snipe
at Senator Conroy about the financial viability of the Fibre rollout Australia
wide in view of the 3G take-up numbers.
“The Opposition
communications spokesman, Tony Smith, used the figures to attack the
Government, saying it lacked sufficient evidence for its spending on the
network.”
I predicted in April last year that wireless mobile would
grow exponentially, however, mobile wireless will only grow if the charging
regime is conducive to it’s ongoing usage by consumers.
Telstra have a habit of introducing product and then charging
that product at higher rates when it becomes popular.
The question the honourable opposition member should be
asking, is not “Is the NBN going to be financially viable” but, “To ensure the
NBN allows IP-v6 rollout to the home so that mobile consumers can smart network
with their home, what policies have the Federal Government put in place to
ensure that mobile carriers do not get together on increasing pricing structures
for mobile access once ubiquitous user levels are reached?”
Fibre to the home is not just for internet access.
Fibre to the home will facilitate a growing bundle of
additional services that will benefit Australians:
Commercially, on-line interactive shopping
Educationally, distance learning
Telecommuting workplace choice
Telecommuting Disabled person's empowerment
Low cost video Teleconferencing with family
AND;
Who really wants to watch the latest blockbuster video on a
640 x 480 (75 mm screen).
3G and 4G wireless whilst a valuable ad-hoc (sometimes works
where you want it too) tool, is currently still many thousands the time the
cost of the proposed NBN network charges; thereby restricting it’s usage to the
reasonably well off and the very young, (who’s well off parents pay the bills).
The honourable member for the opposition is mis-informed and
hasn’t really thought through the long term ramifications of the two networks
(wireless and fibre) being used hand in hand as complementary tools and not as
exclusive either or solutions.
Hat-tip: Bernard
Robertson-Dunn – Link Institute.