[LINK] Australia begs residents to accept free fiber connection

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Richard Chirgwin wrote:
<snip>
> But this (ie, Tasmania) is a trial rollout, begun before NBN Co / 
> Telstra reached agreement (which hasn't been signed yet). So without the 
> full legislative program for the country in place, they're asking 
> permission, and not everybody wants the fibre.
<snip>

Thanks...the roll out of fiber rather than fibre was
bothering me.

Trial rollout is a funny term - pilot is more appropriate.
However, parallel to the rollout of technology, there should
also be a draft legislative changes framework.

The telstra legislation would/should(?) have been changed
when Telstra was privatised and they are now covered by ACMA
and ACCC. The NBN seems to be positioning itself more akin
to water and electricity, and it would appear that there is
some support for making telecommunications a Utility.

>     * Emma Tom, The Australian, July 10, 2010 12:00AM
> The home of sauteed reindeer and more than 40 different words for snow has just made broadband a legal right. Thus the right to vote, the right to equality before the law and the right to party like it's yhdeksantoista yhdeksankymmenta yhdeksikko (1999) are now joined by the right to access dodgy online translators.
<http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/first-the-porn-then-the-culture/story-e6frg6zo-1225889713603> 



In NSW, Utilities such as Water, Electricity, Transport and
local councils rates are regulated by IPART (NSW State Gov).
As I understand it the elected local councillors approve the
waste charges we pay.

> PART is an independent body that oversees regulation of the water, gas, electricity and public transport industries in New South Wales. Established by the NSW Government in 1992, IPART's primary purpose was to regulate the maximum prices charged for monopoly services by government utilities and other monopoly businesses. Since then, its responsibilities have increased significantly.
<http://ipart.nsw.gov.au/about_us/about_us.asp>

It is also worth noting that the AGL (second oldest company
in Australia - who provided street lighting and services
before electricity
<http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/15299202?searchTerm=johns+lucas+engineer>) 

pays a fee to councils, for laying their gas pipes on verges
in Sydney. Though Telcos don't currently.

> The High Court of Australia today held that New South 
Wales and Victorian laws allowing
> councils to collect rates and charges from Telstra and 
Optus for installing and maintaining cables
> for pay television and high-speed internet access were 
contrary to Federal legislation preventing
> discrimination against telecommunications carriers and 
were invalid.
> Telstra and Optus began rolling out their broadband cable 
networks, using either existing power
> poles or underground ducts. Some Sydney and Melbourne 
councils responded by imposing charges
> for installation of cables or levying rates for space 
occupied by cables, of between $500 and $1,000
> per kilometre, while other services and signage in public 
places did not attract charges or rates
<http://www.hcourt.gov.au/media/Councils.pdf>

FWIW, we rejected "free cable" onto our property a few years
back. Why should we give up the land to house the cable, and
take on the responsibility of worrying about where we dig or
our tree roots?

Marghanita
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://ramin.com.au
Tel: 0414-869202