Tuesday, January 8. 2008Should There Ever Be A New Fibre Network?John Linton As the time gets closer for the Labour government twinks to front up to their adamantly expressed determination to fund the ($A4.7 billion) roll out of a new fibre network to deliver fast broadband (whatever they think that is) it seems, at least to me, that such a venture (which was never going to be possible or necessary in the first place) using fibre technology which is already in its 'sunset' phase in terms of providing data to dispersed residential users and a new 'investment' in it at this late stage would be very unwise particularly for a country like Australia. I assume Senator Conroy can and does read about the technologies his cabinet position requires him to do, or at least some of his 'advisors' can/do, so they would have stumbled across the multiplicity of reports on the ongoing speed enhancements of 3G/4G services which, while still fairly limited today, continue to get faster every few months and are now stated as reaching the LTE 'standards' ahead of the scheduled time frames. Presumably articles such as: http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15859/127/ and the omnipresent updates in virtually every European communications publication (print or online) on similar developments in Europe, Japan and Eastern Asia have come to Senator Conroy's attention together with the added, massive financial windfall, bonus of being able to sell new swathes of 'spectrum' to mobile companies? Given that there are 4 mobile carriers firmly entrenched in Australia and they actually do provide real competitive pressures to Telstra (without having Telstra's 'dead hand' being able to control any 'wholesale' mechanism/trench rental) it surely would have occurred even to the apparently brain dead apparatchiks who 'advise' the Labour policies on telecommunications that it would be infinitely better to use the flexibility and absolutely 'Telstra Free' concepts of mobile tower delivery of fast broadband than to simply continuing to bankroll the Telstra wire line monopolies. The use of 2.6GHz spectrum which can be licensed by the Federal government not only to the current four major providers but also to any number of regional/small independent providers (with or without Federal government 'assistance') means that no-one is dependent, in any way, on Telstra and true competition is guaranteed as well as regional authorities (such as councils) being able to ensure they can provide broadband to their ratepayers if the mobile companies don't do it for them. With Nokia/Siemens stating that they expect to be able to deliver on the LTE standard within the next 2 years there is almost no reason that I can see why anyone would start a tender process in the middle of 2008 to eventually deliver "at least speeds of 12 mbps" to a limited number of locations by 2011 when you can have 30 mbps almost everywhere (and 100 mbps in most capital cities) where there is mobile reception today? Only the Labour party and their best buddy Telstra who contributed so much money and rhetoric to getting Labour elected last December? To me - the concept of delivering data via the Telstra monopoly makes as much sense as Conroy's other recently announced stupidity - "banning pornography via access lists" - both show total ignorance of a very easy to understand (most Australian 15 year olds seem to understand internet better than Conroy and his 'advisors') and commonly used set of technologies. It will be interesting to see what happens in Germany and the rest of Europe in the coming months as Internet-HSPA morphs in to LTE in an increasing number of 'live test' locations and whether or not Senator Conroy can learn to spell IP before he issues some sort of pointless fibre network tender designed to be won by Telstra. What would be best for Australian end users (and the commercial communications companies)? A new technology that can be deployed anywhere that isn't dependent on any other commercial entity and is subject to true commercial competition and is relatively low cost to add on to established networks? OR Giving Telstra $A4.7 (or would that actually turn out to be $A8 billion?) to continue to over charge for a slower than required service that is locked away from any competition because it contributed to funding the Labour party's recent election win? Really tough call. Trackbacks
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It makes complete and total sense. The only possible "gotcha" here is the backhaul bandwidth from the actual mobile sites to various PoPs. Comments (3)
...you don't think $A4.7 billion pays for an awful lot of back haul?
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I really think 3G / Next G etc will be the next big thing. I loaned a Navini wireless modem from Exetel while I was having Optus backhaul issues with my ADSL2+ and couldn't get a signal. (Even though the maps said one was avail.) Having purchased a NextG mobile just before Christmas I must say the speed and signal strength of the thing is amazing. I've only seen it drop from under full strength signal once which was in a spot my old mobile lost signal altogether (underground and encased in Concrete).
Did I mention speed? It rivals my adsl2+ connection.... The only problem is data is still expensive via it... once this hurdle is conquered I think we'll all be saying goodbye to adsl2+ and home phone lines. Can you see Fibre competing with this? Comment (1)
Personally, I think 3/4G - HTE is the only viable future for data services for residential and small business users.
Comments (5)
it most certainly does - the question of ownership comes up though.
Comments (3)
Do you have an opinion on WiMax as a competing option?
Comments (3)
I think WiMax will prove/disprove itself over the next 18 months or so and that will be based on how successful it is in the the third world countries in which it's being rolled out where there is no entrnched/monopoly dead hand on making every effort to allow it to work as well as it can.
I think Wimax is a different proposition in countries that have fully developed mobile networks on which the HTE standards can be offered with very, very low additional investment. Personally, I'd take whatever I could get for Exetel to get away from fixed wire delivery of data services. (I think I've mentioned this desire a few times!). Comments (5)
John,
While you choose to denigrate senator Conroy for his lack of experience in this new portfolio, I think you might choose to take one step back and re-evaluate the situation. Sometimes those who appear to be your greatest foe, may well be your greatest ally if you actually talk to them. If you are unhappy with the direction you perceive him to be heading, then you have two options. 1. sit their and whinge about it ( just like that place which you dislike so much - Whirlpool Forums. or 2. Talk to the man himself - put your position forward and maybe offer your advice. You are at the coal face with regards to broadband in AU. Im sure they are seeking input from all those who have a valid point of view with experience to back it up - you have this. I like your business methodology, but you are choosing the easy path of whinging ( yes like your nemesis on the Whirlpool Forums ). This year is a very critical year for Exetel - dont close the doors on anything, dont become totally negative. There are always positives to be had in any situation -- since Labor won the Elections you appear to have closed your mind to looking for positives, everything has become a negative in your mind. Its time to stand up accept what has happened and embrace the future, not worry about the past. Sometimes these things need to be said - read your own posts here and see how negative you have become. Exetel can survive -- you will survive, dont fall into the Whirlpool Syndrome. cheers Billd Comments (2)
These personal musings reflect my, personal, views at the time I write them.
Advising cabinet ministers is not something I have either the knowledge or experience (and certainly not the inclination)to do; I already have a more than bearable daily work load to - in any event the Australian tax payer already pays vast sums of money for 'advisors' to the current 'government'. As someone who, since he was 3 months short of his 18th birthday, has had to provide everything for himself with no family or other assistance from anyone else I think, more than most, I have a pretty good idea of how to deal with whatever life brings. If I express a view - it's because that's what I think at the time and that is it's only point - there is no other 'agenda'. I had a general reason for starting writing a daily blog and therefore expend the time that takes each day and have, to date, had the discipline to write it each day - by definition my personal feelings at the point in time I write will influence what and how I write. That, at least to me, is an inevitability of writing at a set time each day as opposed to when the 'mood' takes you. There is, clearly, no reason why anyone who finds my random musings of no value to expend any time on reading what I may choose to express either now or in the future. Comments (5)
Using 3G/4G or what ever mobile towers to get broadband might be a great idea in city areas but move away from there, where mobile back spots exist what are they to do. You would think that the big holiday destination for Sydney siders, Port Stephens would have good mobile coverage. Think again, some places here can not get ADSL1 and nobody in most of the Paterson Electorate can get ADSL2. With a change in FED Govt and being in an electorate held by Liberal what chance do we have of getting a faster connection any day soon. The fibre network in the ONLY policy I liked of Labor (unfortunate where they are taken the money from), so since they won, give me fibre over Mobile any day.
If we do get fibre don't let ONE company own it, since its public monies being spent. Think of the other benefits of fibre, free to air TV on the cable, pay TV, phone video etc. If they put in a new fibre system the whole system would be planned and you would think they'd plan for excess capacity to allow for increase traffic. Comment (1)
John,
Someone needs to say to you, that what got you to where you are now was not a negative attitude. It has always been a positive one -- yes I acknowledge I dont know you personally but ---- since your days at the helm of Swiftel I have admired your down to earth approach -- everything was always in play. You can be arrogant when you want and charming when required but, this negativity that has creeped in lately is not a positive. As "calliope" on Whirlpool you always exuded confidence, lately what Im reading is that your not quite sure what is the right path to follow. John , just tell me you no longer want me to post here and I will comply. I have a long background with Exetel and I might add, faith in the company, without Exetel, low cost broadband may never have eventuated in AU. Good luck John with Exetel. You just seem to have a different outlook lately - Im worried that there are going to be large changes with Exetel this year. Anyway goodluck and may the force be with you. cheers Billd Comments (2)
I speak my mind - not the greatest of social attributes but a characteristic I'm stuck with at my advabced age.
I did not intend to discourage you from posting - that would defeat the purpose of sites such as these. Four years of unrelentingly long days seven days a week with only two breaks is difficult to manage. However the changes we have 'managed through' and the innovations we continue to pioneer have been more per year than at any previous time in my ong association with this industry. Despite what you are stating my views about Exetel are very far from 'negative'. My, in my view very real concrns and reservations, are directed at the huge number of serious changes occurring or about to occur in this industry and I, as a responsible and, I hope, sensible person I have very real reservations about my personal abilities to deal with the difficulties I foresee. If that seems negative then....well....I actually don't know a way of looking at disaster scenarios with any degree of enthusiasm and if that "shows" then that's just the way I am and have always been. It hasn't stopped me, and Exetel continuing undertaking the most complete and in depth set of initiatives I've ever been involved with in over 40 years. Contrary to what you might think, few people who've past their 60th brthday still have the mental and pysical energy and the risk taking judements to do such things. Comments (5)
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