[LINK] Wireless Internet Popular in Australia

[Stilgherrian]

On 21/09/2010, at 2:17 PM, Craig Sanders wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 09:22:37AM +1000, Tom Worthington wrote:
>> However, popularity of wireless raises questions as to the need
>> for and viability of the fixed fibre optic National Broadband
>> Network. Other statistics:
> 
> no it doesn't. no more than the popularity of motorbikes raises
> questions as to the need for and viability of cars.
> 
> they're different tools that suit different uses and different needs.
> there is some small amount of application crossover but they're not
> substitutes for one another.
> 
> 
> that's the single most annoying line of argument from the anti-NBN
> brigade - that wireless internet is or can be a substitute for fixed
> line internet. there is an adamant refusal to acknowledge the facts
> about it because it's the basis for their demand to drop the NBN and go
> with wireless instead.

This is also the most frustrating thing about the debate for me too.

Whether we spend a lot now to build for the future, or watch our purse strings and do something more modest for the moment is something we can rationally discuss.

Whether we use public money to provide a system to some areas which would not otherwise be commercially viable, or change the mix of public versus private funding for telcos, or leave things to the market etc etc are all valid political arguments, though of course subject to biases in people's thinking cause by pre-conceived political notions of How Things Should Be. But at least they're valid *political* discussions.

But the way in which technologies, fibre versus wireless, have been turned into political banners is... not just weird... totally counter-productive.

And whichever policy we're looking at, the issues of avoiding waste and corruption, and maintaining transparency, are really the same.

Sigh.

I find mindless political tribalism so tedious...

Stil


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