[LINK] future of Australian internet doomed with clueless reporting & ISPs

[David Goldstein]

The recent ACMA report showing a significant but predictable uptake in the use of wireless internet highlighted a couple of issues.

First, Fairfax newspapers reported that "The embrace of wireless by consumers could prove to be a headache for the Government. The financial viability of its broadband network will rely on much of Australia's internet traffic being directed through its pipes."

See http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/broadband-billions-left-hanging-as-wireless-bites-back-20100112-m4u7.html among others.

Fairfax seem unable to grasp that a significant user of broadband is business for whom wireless is likely to never be adequate. And for all of Conroy's criticism, kudos for comments attributed to him or spokesman in the article. At least Conroy and his office can grasp what's needed for the future.

Then the head of Exetel, John Linton, rants about the national broadband network and says things like "The NBN2 was dreamed up by a total wanker (Krudd) who had and has less than zero knowledge about telecommunications based on summary/key point 'briefing papers' done on the fly by pretty average civil servants." See http://johnl.blogs.exetel.com.au/index.php?/archives/3582-Wireless-Broadband-As-Unworrying-To-The-NBN2........html

Now, if this person heads an ISP how can we hold hope that the industry can move forward or even understand what the future holds. Maybe Linton was ranting 15 years ago that dial-up was all that was needed for the future and was complaining this broadband was not needed.

Of course, anyone with a modicum of knowledge of broadband knows that we don't know the next big thing on the internet. But some of them, like YouTube, only ever come about as internet speeds ramp up.

So with such a poor understand of the future of the internet, both industry and journalists, what hope is there for the future of internet when we are relying on these people to educate the people (media) and provide some of the infrastructure (ISPs)?

David



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