[LINK] Does NBN need a third satellite?

[David Boxall]

A third? The first isn't fully operational and the second hasn't even 
launched! Didn't Turnbull say that the satellites are unnecessary 
extravagances?

<http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2016/3/21/technology/does-nbn-need-third-satellite>
"Australia’s efforts to become a leader in the global digital economy 
will soon take another giant stride ..." Sounds like propaganda.

"The NBN is a visionary nation building infrastructure project ..." Come 
now! It's an effort to repair some of the harm done by alienating 
essential natural-monopoly infrastructure from public ownership.

"... there is growing demand from business and industry for improved 
broadband in regional and remote Australia." At what point does it 
become more cost-effective to build optical fibre infrastructure, with 
its century or so service life, than to repeatedly replace 
multi-billion-dollar satellites, with their one to two decade service life?

"Australia has been lagging behind other nations when it comes to 
building infrastructure and providing future-proof broadband, especially 
in regional and remote areas." Was that true before the infrastructure 
was privatised? Are satellites future-proof?

-- 
David Boxall                    |  My figures are just as good
                                 |  as any other figures.
http://david.boxall.id.au       |  I make them up myself, and they
                                 |  always give me innocent pleasure.
                                 |                     --HL Mencken