Libs launch broadband poll

Asks the wrong questions

Well, took the survey, but it never asked any questions that were really meaningful to point out where the glaring problems with Australian broadband are: I took it from work in the CBD and even from home it would have been "warped" as I *finally, after a mere 6 year wait* got ADSL2+.

The problem is the gigantic coverage gaps even in populated areas of Australia. Look at the sparsity of CMUXes and RIMs in the semi-rural areas. Look at the huge gaps in the plan for the NBN rollout up to 2015. We're not talking some outback station in NT, we're talking along major thoroughways, such as the Calder corridor from Melbourne to Bendigo in Victoria!

Tell me how the Coalition will fix those. Labor's NBN won't. Apparently nobody will.

Very fast BB ! more like very fast BS

Sadly as he is a Pollie these are weasel words. The use of the term "very fast broadband" refers to the currently available tech hybrid, HFC and perhaps that German tech HDSL. All of these still require the use of the old copper network which is grossly under maintained. In talking about one thing and mixing in the term NBN its a attempt to spin his argument in favor of cheaper off the shelf equipment. While giving the apperance of saying he can do the NBN Fibre roll out better.

Fail

Fails to highlight the abject failure of the private sector and competition to provide the essential infrastructure for now let alone the future.

Fails to address the unreliability and fault propensity of the current offerings

Even his beloved mates company Opticomm only improved its products and prices on offer to NBN equivalent with the advent of the NBN.

Telstra only started it's top hat and exchange upgrades with the advent of the NBN. After all why enable competitors at substantial cost, the economic reality for the private operators is profit, it is far more profitable to force customers on to their highly profitable UNREGULATED wireless, with their highly profitable and expensive Wholesale offerings for those who need more. Telstra has only gone for the wired broadband seriously since the advent of the NBN.

Private Sector and "Competition" are about market share, control of the market and PROFIT.

The NBN has been the factor to actually stimulate improvement and competition, not the vague wishy washy ideologicall fantasy land obsessive mantras of the coalition and vested interests.

Telstra's FTTH offerings either on estates or South Bris are crippled to consumer grade (HFC equivalent) and expensive

iiNet complained about the NBN overbuilding their Transact Fibre in Ballarat as they could not compete with price or product.

On the blogs we have complaints about the crappy expensive fibre products, on examination they are private sector products, poor old Gertrude whingeing about her expensive rubbish fibre broadband in her 3y old Canberra home, Transact of course but on that basis knocking the NBN

We have the need for NBN because of the Coalitions obsession with depending on the private sector and "competition".

This time it will be better they say because we will guarantee budget deficits by throwing Billions in subsidies to the private sector for eternity to provide a second rate expensive to maintain solution that will only ever be upgraded if ever in a limited piecemeal manner and NEVER be truly ubiquitous and business capable.

No real long term benefit to the Nation or the economy, but a purely political and look after your mates in a very limited sector of the economy.

Patch up the black spots to a consumer grade and that will be it. Job done and the taxpayer will have to pay the bill and the subsidies for eternity, the Liberal way