[LINK] NBN widening digital divide in bush

[David Boxall]

On 16/07/2011 6:33 AM, Richard Chirgwin wrote:
> On 14/07/11 3:20 PM, David Boxall wrote:
>> On 13/07/2011 1:15 PM, Birch, Jim wrote:
>>> ...  It doesn't make economic sense to take a fibre to every
>>> anthill in central Australia.  There's a cost/benefit trade off. ...
>> Are economic considerations the most important? What was the cost
>> benefit trade off in laying copper to so many remote locations? Was cost
>> benefit analysis even done?
>>
>> If the anthill has copper, it must eventually get fibre. The fibre
>> network should then continue growing to ever more remote places.
>>
...
> There still remain many small places without copper. They are connected
> via Telstra Digital Radio Concentrators for telephones - and the only
> Internet access option is satellite.
>
Which is why I stipulated "If the anthill has copper". There's no reason 
why getting fibre to a location will be any easier than getting copper 
there. Nor is there any reason why it will be harder. If we've done it 
before, why can't we do it again?

> These communities are a couple of hundred individuals living hundreds of
> km from the nearest Telstra exchange. However much we might like it, I
> can't see fibre reaching locations like that.
>
Never say never. If it proves feasible in the future, why deny ourselves 
the option?

-- 
David Boxall                    |  I have seen the past
                                |  And it worked.
http://david.boxall.id.au       |               --TJ Hooker