[LINK] An Overhead NBN

Marghanita da Cruz marghanita at ramin.com.au
Thu Nov 7 14:01:03 AEDT 2013


Jim Birch wrote:
<snip>
 > I seems to me that the main reason they want to go above ground is so they
 > can claim to have done something different to the Labor NBN.  And perhaps
 > to fulfil some kind of vague public-goods-are-crap ideological need.  I'd
 > like to see a lifetime cost analysis.

NBN under the last government was doing trials. While in Fremantly 
recently, what appeared to be the western end of the NBN cable was lying on 
the ground next to a footpath.

Depending on what's under the ground (existing channel), granite, 
sandstone, clay or sand all impact on the cost. Stringing on existing poles 
or through existing conduits is a no brainer - the question is whether the 
state governments, who own the poles charge more than Telstra, who sold(?) 
the conduits.

I seem to recall Townsville was above ground and ...it is Australia’s most 
NBN-ready city
09 August 2013
http://www.nbnco.com.au/about-us/media/news/townsville-is-most-nbn-ready-city-in-australia.html

Below is a list of communities where NBN services are available and suburbs 
where build has commenced.
http://www.nbnco.com.au/when-do-i-get-it/about-the-rollout/communities-in-the-rollout.html

There is probably an anlysis somewhere.

Marghanita

Jim Birch wrote:
> In addition to adverse event frequency, I'd be interested to see know if
> there is any data on llife expectancy above and below the ground.  Also,
> why do we want electricity below ground?  Don't the same reasons, amenity,
> ugliness, safety, reliability, etc, all apply?  Suspending the fibre on
> electricity poles makes it even harder to put the electricity below ground
> 
> I seems to me that the main reason they want to go above ground is so they
> can claim to have done something different to the Labor NBN.  And perhaps
> to fulfil some kind of vague public-goods-are-crap ideological need.  I'd
> like to see a lifetime cost analysis.
> 
> - Jim
> 
> 
> On 7 November 2013 11:07, <stephen at melbpc.org.au> wrote:
> 
>> 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.
>>
>> Copyright � iTnews.com.au . All rights
>> reserved.
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
Ramin Communications Pty Ltd
http://ramin.com.au/
Phone:(+61)0414-869202





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