[LINK] Broadband billions left hanging as wireless bites back

[Stilgherrian]

On 26/01/2010, at 11:18 AM, Richard Chirgwin wrote:
> "Scope creep" is a risk to the NBN. It can't carry every expectation 
> that anyone cares to invent for it, and in that sense, I think its 
> limited scope represents a reasonable compromise.

Actually, Richard, that's precisely why I think keeping the NBN down at Layer 2 is a very sensible decision. The NBN shifts data packets, like the roads provide a lane for vehicles, and it's completely up to what what packets or vehicles you chose to run down it and what's inside them.

OK, that's a VERY rough analogy, but I do think that every suggestion about "the NBN could do X" is missing an important point. It's the wholesale customers of the NBN who choose to do that sort of thing -- by, for example, selling a simple "connect me to the Internet" box that you then connect your computers to and it then gives you that array of ISPs to chose from.

Though that said, why would any ISP want to do other than provide a box (a router!) that connects directly to them?

Stil


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