THE Liberals’ broadband plan cannot meet the future needs of public institutions, businesses or individuals.
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Although the claimed cost is half of the government’s NBN, it is false economy and not even true when scrutinised.
Most Australians wouldn’t get 4K video capacity unless they pay $5000 for software needed to double internet speeds.
This is because 4K content with the best compression needs at least 25-30Mbps, which is easily supported by the NBN’s base 100Mbps speeds with fibre to the home.
But spokesman Malcolm Turnbull said that, under the Liberals’ fibre to the node (cabinet), most Australians would get speeds up to only 25Mbps and the rest anywhere up to 80Mbps.
Later he said 30 per cent of Australians could get no upgrade.
My small business shouldn’t have to pay $5000 for what hundreds of thousands of capital city businesses and households are already getting free.
The old and perishing copper network held together with plastic shopping bags costs Telstra $1 billion yearly to maintain.
Fibre costs less than 10 per cent of that to maintain and operate, is waterproof and gives stronger signal transmission.
It can carry broadband hundreds of kilometres, compared to five kilometres from an exchange for copper (and that’s with boosters needing lots of expensive electricity).
Depending on your distance from a node, it could be 20-80Mbps or 1-20Mbps.
If you live more than 400 metres from a node, you’ll have trouble.
Moreover the Liberals’ plan is not properly costed.
The annual maintenance cost could mean a $10 billion blowout while the network is rebuilt, plus ongoing future costs.
Over time, the Liberals’ plan would actually cost more.
I notice the government’s plan includes an option to privatise the NBN on completion and get taxpayers’ money back with a 7 per cent return on investment.
?FRANS TIMMERMAN,
?Campbells Creek