[LINK] An Overhead NBN

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Seems a good idea to me. If not an underground FTTH NBN, perhaps an arial 
FTTH NBN? It appears a much better idea than any idiot FTTN TopHat system.

Overall, wouldn't powerline NBN FTTH optical be cheaper than FTTN systems? 

And if the power companies installed the fibre on their poles, they'd have 
a reasonable excuse to retain some/much of the carbon tax revenue received.
 
   
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/in-depth/powerlines-key-to-
tasmanias-cheaper-nbn-plan/story-e6frgaif-1226753829038#


THE Coalition will consider a Tasmanian Labor government plan to pioneer a 
faster, cheaper rollout of the National Broadband Network using overhead 
cables, in a potential model for other states.

Labor Premier Lara Giddings has pitched the scheme directly to Tony Abbott 
and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who have agreed to consider a 
detailed proposal being prepared by the state-owned Aurora Energy ..

And, http://www.itnews.com.au/News/363156,tas-govt-tries-to-resurrect-nbn-
over-power-lines.aspx

Tasmania Dusts off Aurora plan.

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings wants to deploy fibre optic cables on power 
poles in order to get the NBN rollout in Tasmania back on track.

Giddings said she had raised the idea in meetings with Prime Minister Tony 
Abbott and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

"They have been open to receiving a proposal," she said in a statement to 
iTnews.

"I have asked [power pole owner] Aurora Energy to prepare a brief on using 
its existing power pole network to deliver optic fibre, which we will 
provide to the Australian Government."

Aurora Energy will dust off and update an aerial cabling plan it devised in 
2009 after being put in charge of the first stages of rolling out fibre in 
Tasmania, according to a report by The Australian.

Subsequent construction contracts went to Visionstream, which the 
Government has accused of slowing rollout works and not meeting its 
contractual obligations.

More than half of the premises that have received NBN fibre to date in 
Tasmania have overhead cable connections to the next-generation network, 
The Australian noted.

Giddings said on Twitter the decision to put fibre underground had been NBN 
Co's, and while the state government agreed cables should ideally be 
underground, it would not insist on an underground rollout "at the expense 
of no fibre to [the] home".

"Optic fibre to the node is simply not good enough," she said. "We need 
faster speeds to embrace the technology of today let alone the future."

Giddings saw the Tasmanian Government's proposal as a potential "win-win" 
for all parties in the NBN rollout.

She said it would allow "the Coalition to honour its pre-election pledge, 
reduce roll-out costs for NBN Co and its contractors and ensure that 
Tasmania continues to realise the benefits of having superfast broadband 
delivered to the door".

Digital Tasmania spokesman Andrew Connor urged the state government not to 
rush into a full aerial construction model.

"Of course it's better than no fibre but I think we just need to give the 
NBN rollout more time to do it properly and do it underground," Connor told 
iTnews.

"Aerial fibre was used in stage one and two [of the Tasmanian NBN rollout] 
in most places where there wasn't underground power already. It was 
successful in getting the rollout done pretty quickly, but ... there's 
definitely more risks in having cables overhead.

"They can be brought down by car accidents or other obstructions to the 
lines, and also by bush fires."

Connor was also concerned a fully aerial NBN rollout would lock Tasmanians 
into "overhead cabling for phone and power for a very long time".

Peak body TasICT's executive officer Dean Winter said his preference was to 
see Visionstream complete works as planned, though he welcomed any 
initiative that might get Tasmania's rollout back on track.

"Minister Turnbull should give Visionstream every opportunity to complete 
that work," Winter said.

"But Aurora has shown it has the ability to do this work in the past and 
their rollout model offers significant improvements in rollout speed.

"If Visionstream cannot complete the project, then the strategic review 
should consider any option that delivers a full fibre to the premises NBN 
to Tasmanians, as promised."

The Tasmanian Government has been spurred into action after the Coalition 
cut 41,900 premises from the planned FTTP footprint in Tasmania last week, 
bring to a head fears that a fully fibre-optic Tasmanian state may never be 
completed.

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