NBN Co accused of failing to take 5G threat seriously
NBN Co, the government-owned corporation responsible for building and operating the fixed-line National Broadband Network, expressed little concern in its annual report released last Wednesday, burying its single mention of 5G deep in the report, where it described it as a “central challenge” but did not elaborate. AFR First up, NBN Co cannot be blamed... View Article
NBN Co, the government-owned corporation responsible for building and operating the fixed-line National Broadband Network, expressed little concern in its annual report released last Wednesday, burying its single mention of 5G deep in the report, where it described it as a “central challenge” but did not elaborate.
AFR
First up, NBN Co cannot be blamed for something political. This is a political issue, and NBN Co are not a political organisation limited by the Government of the day.
NBN was an interesting idea that should have never been acted on. Fibre to the home was a beautiful dream, but not an economic possibility in reality. Anything after that is simply minimizing damage to the
Paul Budde said behind closed doors NBN Co’s management would be “very, very worried” about 5G because it could result in millions of households ditching fixed line broadband altogether.
AFR
I’m not sure why “ditching” fixed-line could be considered bad. If consumers are getting better service for less
Of course, this is the same Paul Budde who was cheering for Fibre to the home. He opined Mobile broadband is no alternative for fixed broadband, but then comments to the AFR “In around a year, two years time, the mobile operators will start really targeting the low end of the broadband market”. With both consumer and provider interest, it would seem that the market thinks mobile is an alternative for fixed broadband.
Mr Budde said this problem could have been avoided if the government had rolled fibre-to-the-premises out across the country, as originally planned. That would have allowed NBN Co to set the wholesale price at an affordable level, allowing telcos to compete over fixed-line retail packages without destroying their margins.
AFR
I don’t think I need to really comment do I? With asbestos pits and ducts, the need to rip up driveways between the curb and the home, and physically removing copper and installing fibre, the FTTP would have cost more as the current NBN plan. More build cost equals higher wholesale price.
Yes, Fibre is the best, but speed doesn’t matter when comparing the “low end of the broadband market” mobile against Fibre.
So anyone who doesn’t believe that Telstra is going to be going as hard as possible trying to sell 5G is living in the wrong universe
AFR
Paid for by NBNCo, who have a contract to give Telstra billions of dollars for access to pits, ducts, and copper.
A fixed-line monopoly helping Telstra setup 4G and 5G. It’s like a Greek tragedy play, captivating and terrible. But consumers and taxpayers won’t be applauding when the curtain closes.