[LINK] NBN low income scheme

stephen at melbpc.org.au stephen at melbpc.org.au
Tue Oct 25 22:33:31 AEDT 2011


Richard writes,

> Yep. I've analysed this, and published about it .. a policy response
> has to disentangle the two issues. The NBN is part of the solution..
> I think, however, it's feasible to at least wait until the current
> census data is available before we decide that subsidies are required.


Yes, this makes sense. Although it's early days in terms of an NBN, and 
hopefully, ubiquitious access for as many citizens as possible, i guess
most of us having been made aware of proposed NBN charges, might expect
such low-income access schemes be made available. Who, what, when & how
will need careful, not ipso-facto, consideration as you suggest Richard.
  

> > Discounts needed for low income earners to access NBN: ACCAN
> >
> > Advocacy group argues that not every Australian will be able to afford
> > fibre broadband access
> >
> > Hamish Barwick (Computerworld)25 October, 2011 15:20
> > 
http://www.cio.com.au/article/405235/discounts_needed_low_income_earners_a
ccess_nbn_accan>
> >
> >
> > The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has
> > proposed a broadband low income measures scheme, including discount
> > wholesale prices, to enable Australians earning $26,000 a year or
> > less to access to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
> >
> > Speaking before a parliamentary joint committee on the NBN in Sydney,
> > ACCAN chief executive, Teresa Corbin, said that under the scheme,
> > ACCAN would like to see NBN Co providing discount wholesale prices
> > for retail service providers such as Infoexchange, which could than
> > provide cheap internet services for low income consumers.
> >
> > "That would mean people with a healthcare card should be able to 
access
> > these services if they chose to," she said. "This is becoming 
important
> > because we have entered an age where internet access is important in
> > daily life."
> >
> > Another proposal is setting up more public internet kiosks across
> > Australia in addition to current services provided by libraries and 
high
> > schools.
> >
> > "At present, a lot of these public access programs are state based but
> > there needs to be a national approach taken to this by the government 
and
> > NBN Co," she said.
> >
> > "Another proposal would be to turn every public telephone box into a 
Wi-
> > Fi access spot which they currently do in Hong Kong as a free 
service."
> >
> > The genesis of ACCAN's broadband low income measures proposal was
> > research into the digital divide conducted by the Australian
> > Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) earlier this year.
> >
> > It found that 2.6 million Australians did not have access to the 
internet
> > via mobile or a fixed line service and that this was unlikely to 
change
> > even after the NBN was rolled out due to broadband costs.
> >
> > "When that study was broken down, 62 per cent of the 2.6 million had
> > incomes of less than $25,000 while 53 per cent were aged 55 years or 
more
> > and a majority of the respondents lived in non-capital city areas,"
> > Corbin said.
> >
> > The ACMA study also found that one third of the respondents still used
> > the internet via a library or a school while 42 per cent indicated 
that
> > they used internet services outside the home because cost was a factor
> > and home connections were too expensive. "We are very concerned there
> > will still be a digital divide going forward because in some areas the
> > only service might be an expensive satellite or wireless service," she
> > said.
> >
> > "Whilst we think that overall the NBN will be significant leveller we 
are
> > concerned that people who can't access the internet now, won't be 
able to
> > even when the NBN rolls out."
> >
> > --
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> >
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