[LINK] Telstra's NBN bid rejected

[Marghanita da Cruz]

David Boxall wrote:
> At 10:00 AM Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
>> Telstra's NBN bid rejected
>> Allison Jackson
>> December 15, 2008
>> The Australian IT
>> http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24800767-15306,00.html
>>
>> The Federal Government has excluded Telstra from the bidding process to 
>> build a national broadband network.
> If true (and we only have Telstra's word for it), then justice has been 
> served.
> 
> Telstra tried to bully the government by not actually bidding (they 
> submitted a "proposal" instead): 
> <http://www.itnews.com.au/News/89863,telstra-baits-government-with-nbn-detail-carrot.aspx>.
> That was evidently an attempt to get the contract without giving too 
> much information to their competitors or the government:
> <http://www.itnews.com.au/News/89932,nbn-unlikely-to-deliver-promised-reach-or-speed-ibrs.aspx>.
>> ?Telstra wants to pretend it is engaging in the process, while 
>> continuing to hide the details of its bid. It has been trying to hide 
>> this information for three years, and will use any excuse to continue to 
>> do so,?
> To the government's credit, it hasn't caved in to Testra's tactics.
> 
> Now, the question is: How much of a problem will Telstra be for whoever 
> builds the NBN?
> 
> <http://www.itnews.com.au/News/90450,inside-telstras-technical-plans-for-the-nbn.aspx>.
> 
>  > This ?readiness? could also translate into duplicate build plans,
> 
>> however, should Telstra not be awarded the NBN contract.
>>
>> ?Do we have alternative network building plans in the event that we 
>> don?t win? Yes,?
> 
> So Telstra plans to build a competing network.
> 
> No doubt, Telstra will only compete in the most lucrative areas.  That 
> will distort the market, syphoning income from the operator of the NBN.  
> Levelling the playing field is government's responsibility.  I hope 
> they're up to it.
> 

Don't know that the government has to level the playing field - they only have
to make sure everyone has a playing field and the type of coverage will be dictated
by the particular environmental factors of each  region.

This is not new and should have had to be built into the NBN tender requirements
and  be complemented  by ACCC regulation. Ofcourse as mentioned already on
this list the government doesn't have to award the tender to anyone, if they
think it won't work - they do have a duty of responsible expenditure.

Marghanita
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://www.ramin.com.au
Phone: (+61)0414 869202