[LINK] Battery back-up mandatory for NBN?

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

On 28/10/2010 9:20 AM, Tom Worthington wrote:
> My view is that the NBN is intended to replace the current telephone
> service
No it isn't. The NBN will be offering new and different services that 
have nothing to do with the current telephone service. And as has been 
pointed out by Paul Brooks, the current line-power for telephone 
handsets when the mains power has failed is not  a requirement of the 
current network.

The issue is that the NBN will, in addition to it's stated purpose be 
used for voice communication.
> and will become even more essential to the community, so it
> needs to be available when the mains power fails.
That's a statement that needs to be validated. Has it been?

Isn't it logical that, if all the other equipment in the premises also 
fail, then what's the point of having the NBN up and running? Voice 
communication might be useful for some and in some circumstance be 
highly beneficial but it's not a major objective of the NBN .

I agree with Paul Brooks' post on 27/10/2010 at 11:07 AM

> Those who want or need power backup can certainly have it.
> Those that don't feel they need it, don't need to pollute
> the planet with batteries they don't need.

This issue reminds me of the "it is necessary for a man to walk in front 
of each car and to carry a red flag, for safety reasons" solution to the 
perceived problem of "dangerous cars".

As I said in another context,  "Like solving any problem, any solution 
(especially simplistic solutions) is likely to cause new problems." The 
mandatory battery solution is likely to cause more problems than it solves.

One of the problems it could well cause is the raising of false 
expectations. An example is with the recent Tsunami

Indonesian tsunami warning system 'was not working'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/indonesia/8090377/Indonesian-tsunami-warning-system-was-not-working.html
<quote>
Villagers in Indonesia were not warned of an approaching tsunami because 
the alert system out at sea had been vandalised, according to an 
official, as the death toll rose to 282 with more than 400 people still 
missing.
</quote>

Another simplistic solution that did not work but which gave some people 
a false sense of security.

-- 

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
email:	 brd at iimetro.com.au
website: www.drbrd.com