[LINK] ABC-Telstra deal -- the terms and conditions

[Ross Kelso]

Hey, I just LOVE to hear an optimist talk!  In reality I suspect it would be
very much a tied ISP and you may not get 'full functionality' at all?

Ross Kelso

At 15:08 16/02/00 +1100, you wrote:
>My understanding is that (some? all? I haven't read the final 
>receiver standard yet) set-top boxes for digital television will have 
>a backchannel, via a telephone line (or a cable maybe?).  This will 
>be connected to the Internet via an ISP and will (presumably) allow 
>full Internet functionality on your tv, as well as allowing people to 
>respond to interactive broadcast content.  Presumably the Telstra/ABC 
>agreement will have the ABC attempting to get people to sign up for 
>this 'backchannel' with Telstra as the ISP.  At a guess this will 
>involve the ABC plugging Telstra when the ABC broadcasts interactive 
>content.  Something along the lines of:  'To receive the full 
>benefits of this interactive content you need an Internet connection 
>from your set-top box.  Telstra is able to provide this etc etc'.
>
>dm
>
>>Adam Todd wrote:
>>
>>>>  7d makes the ABC "nominate Telstra as its (p)refered
>>>>  ISP backchannel for interactive datacasting." It is not
>>>>  clear quite what that means yet; it depends on how
>>>>  datacasting functions.
>>>
>>>  That means all outbound traffic (backchannel) that is sent TO the
>>>  internet must be carried on the Telstra Internet Network.
>>>
>>>  Telstra charges for BACKCHANNEL traffic.  If ABC were to datacast and
>>>  as the agreement seems to point, be forced to use only the Telstra
>>>  Network for traffic inbound and outbound, the outbound flow would
>>>  without question be far higher than the inbound and thus a BACKCHANNEL
>>>  charge will apply.
>>>
>>>  This could turn out very costly to the ABC.
>>
>>Thanks Adam.  I thought of that interpretation, but there is also the
>>possibility that it could mean the back-channel link from the customer back to
>>the ABC (or have I got my terminology mixed up here?). 
>>
>>It seems to me that the outbound datacasting information (possibly streaming
>>media) would be carried by ABC radio, TV channel or satellite, but that the
>>return channel from the customer would need to be carried by an ISP. This
>>could mean that ABC is to promote both its datacasting services, and 
>>Big Pond together.
>>
>>How do other people read it?
>>
>>
>>--
>>Stewart Fist - writer and columnist
>>See http://www.australianIT.com.au/
>>        http://www.abc.net.au/http/sfist/         (some archives)
>>        http://www.electric-words.com              (main archives)
>>70 Middle Harbour Road, Lindfield, 2070,   N.S.W,   Australia
>>Phone +61 2 9416 7458                        Fax  +61 2 9416 4582
>
>
>David Mitchell
>Research Fellow
>Network Insight (formerly MTPG)
>e-mail: <david.mitchell@rmit.edu.au>
>Home Page: <http://www.ni.rmit.edu.au/>
>Postal Address: Locked Bag 2400, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia, 1590.
>
>