[LINK] Why the NBN business model is deeply flawed

[Tom Worthington]

Paul Fletcher MP, will speak on "Why the NBN business model is deeply 
flawed ...?" at the Australian Computer Society meeting in Canberra, 12 
Noon 28 February 2012: 
https://www.acs.org.au/act/index.cfm?action=event&area=9002&temID=eventdetails&eveID=30224664535724

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ACS TSA Communication SIG
Why the NBN business model is deeply flawed ...?
Why it matters from a public policy perspective

Paul will present the case that, as a standalone business model, the NBN 
is fundamentally flawed. It is far too costly – reflecting political 
decisions. Its take up assumptions are extremely unrealistic, and are 
unlikely to be met. This matters because taxpayers are paying; and if it 
is a commercial failure it will also be a public policy failure, with 
the likely result being collapse well before the build is complete. 
There is no cost benefit analysis to demonstrate that public benefits 
exceed the costs. Early signs confirm the view that the business case is 
flawed. The better approach for Government support of broadband is to 
focus on areas of broadband need, focus on ubiquitous services rather 
than the highest speeds, make the private sector the driver with 
government subsidies appropriately targeted where necessary, and to 
promote a funding model that is sustainable in the long term.

Biography: Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield

Paul Fletcher was first elected to the Federal Parliament as the Member 
for Bradfield at a by-election in December 2009 and was subsequently 
re-elected with an increased majority in August 2010. Prior to entering 
Parliament, Paul was the principal of a strategic consulting firm 
serving the communications sector and before that was Director, 
Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, at Optus for eight years. He is a 
well-known figure in communications policy in Australia and recently 
wrote a highly regarded book on broadband and telecommunications, Wired 
Brown Land. Paul previously worked as Senior Advisor, and then Chief of 
Staff to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the 
Arts, Senator Richard Alston, during the Howard Government. He has dual 
first class honours degrees in law and economics from The University of 
Sydney and an MBA from Columbia University in New York where he was a 
Fulbright Scholar.

About this Event

Date: Tuesday 28th February 2012
Time: 12:00pm for 12:15pm start finish 1:45pm
Register On-line: 
https://ibs.acs.org.au/events/event/EventRegister.aspx?operatedById=9002&eveID=30224664535724&id=
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Tom Worthington FACS CP, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards
Legislation

Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science,
Australian National University http://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP7310/