[LINK] NBN fault maintenance

[David]

On Monday, 9 December 2019 5:30:17 PM AEDT Paul Brooks wrote:

> The Bill proposes to levy a $7.10 per month charge on every service connected to a non-NBN fixed-line network, such as TPG’s fibre to the basement network, all the greenfields housing estates (Opticomm, Pinit, LBNCo, etc), possibly Spirit Telecom's network in apartment towers.
> 
> The levy actually can rise each year by indexation, adding further pressure to increased end-user broadband pricing over time.

It's a great example of the pickle we get into when ideology and ad-hoc decision-making prempt rational research and planning, as though another one were needed.

The Government apparently wants a national broadband network, but one which is as cheap as possible and also a profitable business, while encouraging private enterprise.  Of course private enterprise is very happy to become involved but only where it's profitable, and especially where there's a practical monopoly such as "TPG’s fibre to the basement network, all the greenfields housing estates (Opticomm, Pinit, LBNCo, etc), possibly Spirit Telecom's network in apartment towers".  Surprise, surprise...!!!

So do we want a single _national_ broadband network or not?  Is it a business or essential national infrastructure? 

It doesn't take long to see the whole thing dissolving into a collection of peer networks charging each other, with remote and regional areas getting an inferior service or none - the Three Amigos syndrome.

David L.