[LINK] Does NBN need a third satellite?

[Tom Worthington]

On 25/03/16 08:40, David Boxall wrote:

> A third? The first isn't fully operational and the second hasn't even
> launched! ...

Satellites take years to build and launch and three would seem to be a 
reasonable minimum number for the NBN to have.

Also the satellites provide a quick and easy way to provide access, 
making it politically tempting to expand the range of use.

> Didn't Turnbull say that the satellites are unnecessary extravagances?

Yes, but that was when he was in opposition, in government if you are 
committed to $1B of satellites you try to make the bast of it.

The most interesting aspect of Mark Gregory's article in the Business 
Spectator is the idea of the NBN satellites being used to provide 
broadband for passengers on Qantas aircraft. It seems reasonable for 
taxpayers to buy a satellite for outback kids education, but not for 
business class passengers watching in-flight movies: 
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2016/3/21/technology/does-nbn-need-third-satellite 



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