[LINK] Coalition unveils $6b broadband plan

Kim Holburn kim at holburn.net
Tue Aug 10 12:46:51 AEST 2010


http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/10/2978634.htm

> Coalition unveils $6b broadband plan
> By online political correspondent Emma Rodgers
>
>
>
> Fibre optic: The Coalition plan will use a number of different  
> technologies (Reuters: Hannibal Hanschke, file photo)
>
> The Coalition has promised over $6 billion to improve internet  
> broadband services for Australians if it is elected to government.
>
> Finance spokesman Andrew Robb and communications spokesman Tony  
> Smith have unveiled the plan in Canberra today as an alternative to  
> Labor's National Broadband Network.
>
> The major policy announcement was left to Mr Smith and Mr Robb as  
> Opposition Leader Tony Abbott campaigned in Sydney today.
>
> Under the plan, 97 per cent of homes would have access to networks  
> which would deliver broadband at speeds of between 12 Mega bits per  
> second (Mbps) and 100Mbps by 2016 through a combination of  
> technologies.
>
> The remaining three per cent of homes would be serviced by satellite  
> services
>
> Main points of the policy include:
>
> 	• $6.3 b of investment to get a private sector network up and running
> 	• speeds of between 12Mbps and 100Mbps
> another $2.75b to extend the fibre-optic network
> 	• $750m to improve DSL services
> 	• $2b for improved rural regional and metropolitan wireless networks
> Mr Smith said the Coalition's plan would deliver improved services  
> quicker than the Government's plan to households that need improved  
> speeds.
>
> And he said it was both faster and more affordable.
>
> "Labor's NBN risks tens of billions of taxpayer dollars," he said.
>
> "The Coalition will deliver the new platform and structure to  
> unleash competition and drive private sector deployment of faster  
> broadband across a range of technologies."
>
> Finance spokesman Andrew Robb said the plan will encourage  
> competition.
>
> "We will embrace and ensure Australia has choice and that the heavy- 
> handed Government is not dictating their telecommunications  
> options," he said.
>
> Labor has pledged to spend $43 billion on a National Broadband  
> Network, of which the Government would be a majority stakeholder.
>
> The NBN would offer speeds of 100Mpbs through "fibre-to-the-home"  
> technologies but questions have been raised over how many homes  
> would want to pay for such a high speed.
>
> The network has already begun to be rolled out in Tasmania and is  
> due to be completed by 2018.
>


-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
T: +61 2 61402408  M: +61 404072753
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request













More information about the Link mailing list