[LINK] Conroy on the NBN on Lateline

[Kim Holburn]

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s3043952.htm


> TONY JONES: Now, will anyone have to pay to get the NBN cable, the  
> high-speed fibre connected to their home? Will anyone have to pay  
> for that at all?
>
> STEPHEN CONROY: Well at the moment we're working on - we've gotta  
> comply with the laws of the land. So in Tasmania we're in a  
> situation where we have to require consent to go on somebody's  
> property, as you would expect properly for that to be the case. So,  
> if those individuals who've signed those consent forms say we can  
> come on, there is no cost whatsoever to having it connected to your  
> home.
>
> If we then roll through your suburb and roll on a few more suburbs  
> and you suddenly change your mind, the NBN Co haven't made a final  
> decision on this, but there's been some suggestions there could be a  
> cost if we've gotta come back and re-do your home. But no final  
> decision has been made on that issue.
>
> TONY JONES: But isn't this why the Tasmanians are now bringing in an  
> opt-out system so that if you don't want the thing on your property,  
> you'll have to opt out of the system? And is that what you plan to  
> do nationally?
>
> STEPHEN CONROY: Well we've actually been in discussions. I know Tony  
> Abbott only recently discovered this issue, but we've actually been  
> in discussion with state governments for over 12 months on this  
> issue. Premier Bartlett is the first to announce that they're going  
> to go down this path, because this will be a saving to not just  
> taxpayers in terms of the rollout cost, but it ultimately be  
> potentially a saving to the customers, because if we've gotta go  
> back twice, then there could potentially be another increase.
>
> So, the key here is to get as many people with the connection to  
> their home. Now, a lot of confusion is being deliberately spread.  
> Just because the fibre is connected to the side of your house does  
> not mean you have to take the service. It is your choice whether you  
> want to take a broadband service. So you do not have to take it.
>
> TONY JONES: It will mean inevitably you actually have to use it  
> though if you want to keep your fixed phone line, is that correct?
>
> STEPHEN CONROY: No, no, absolutely. Let's be clear about this. We've  
> said from day one we are looking to establish a wholesale open- 
> access monopoly which will improve competition and see prices to  
> start to go down. And the whole purpose of the deal with Telstra is  
> to shut down the copper network, transfer customers onto the new  
> fibre network, so ultimately if an Australian wants to have a fixed- 
> line phone service, they will need to make that call on the fibre.
>
> But the point I made about no connection costs plus the pricing  
> being sufficiently low at a wholesale level to ensure there's no  
> increase in charge, all of that information will be available very  
> shortly when the NBN provides us with its business plan.


> TONY JONES: Okay. So is it true, as it's been reported, that if you  
> opt out, because for example you might think your old fixed-line  
> telephone is good enough and you don't think you want an NBN  
> computer access, high-speed broadband thing, will you then have to  
> pay $300, as has been suggested, at some point, to get connected  
> back onto the NBN so you can get your fixed-line phone that you  
> obviously need to get connected?
>
> STEPHEN CONROY: There's two different circumstances you're talking  
> about here, Tony. First is in Tasmania where you have the choice to  
> connect now for free. And ultimately, if we roll through the NBN and  
> they've moved on to another town, another city and we've gotta come  
> back, just like any other commercial operation, there may be - and  
> it hasn't been decided yet - there may be a connection fee.
>
> TONY JONES: Could it be as high as $300? That's the figure that was  
> reported in The Age?
>
> STEPHEN CONROY: Some have suggested that it could be $300, but that  
> has not been a final decision made. Now, in the case of where it  
> becomes mandatory to make your phone call on the fibre because the  
> copper's been disconnected, I can't imagine there's a case where you  
> could say you should have to pay now to come and make the  
> connection. The purpose of the rollout is to ensure that people, if  
> they have to make a phone call and its only got the fibre available,  
> I can't imagine there is any case to be made for there being that  
> charge.


-- 
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