[LINK] Broadband or Fraudband? - Australia Talks on ABC RN

grove at zeta.org.au grove at zeta.org.au
Thu Mar 29 20:22:11 AEST 2007


On Thu, 29 Mar 2007, Rick Welykochy wrote:

> Live now and also available by podcast at
> <http://abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/>
>
>  Broadband or Fraudband?
>
>  Why is everyone banging on about faster broadband? What's the link
>  ["Link!"] between faster data rates and productivity. Has the
>  Labour Party got it right? Support the plan says James Packer of PBL,
>  but according to one of our guests the Kevin Rudd plan isn't the answer
>  either. And what's the impact of higher broadband speeds on education,
>  recreation and social networking? How does it impact on our behaviours?

The big driver isn't going to be the end users, it's going to be 
Sony, Turner, Fox, Disney, Microsoft, Sun, Apple and so on.

Then there is going to be a future demand for real time schooling, 
remote medicine and Streaming TV!    The problem is 
not just the speed, it's giving everyone in the country, no matter
where they live access to the dialtone.

Productivity-wise, there's a lot of benefits in the long run,
that may not be so obvious in the short term.  Telecommuting is 
one.   All the jabber about tree/sea changers and so on could 
lead to a new class of remote workers if management will ever
catch up.   Conducting remote meetings via video conference
is another good one.   Remote court cases and doctor's appointments 
are another idea.   I am sure people will find all sorts 
of (not so) useful ways of soaking all that bandwidth up.`

I think it's a brilliant scheme.   I could always use faster broadband.
I had lots of expectations about it and am slightly disappointed
as the speeds aren't that great compared to my old USR Robotics Courier
modem (which I recently binned).   It is "faster", but it's not "Faster".
I want "FASTER!".

Bring it on....


rachel

-- 
Rachel Polanskis                 Kingswood, Greater Western Sydney, Australia
grove at zeta.org.au                http://www.zeta.org.au/~grove/grove.html
 	"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
 	deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin, 1759



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