# If the Aussies can do it why can't we?



## Rob Pearson (Jul 10, 2003)

I searched the forums and didn't notice anyone posting this story so I'm going to...

*Aussies Announce $31B National Broadband Network*

So yeah, props to the prime minister for realizing that the internet is important for everyone to have.



> Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd promises that the "new super fast National Broadband Network" will stimulate Australias ailing economy and bring broadband to every Australian home, school and business.


Full story is here: 
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009...tories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Wouldn't that be something if we could get the infrastructure separated from our retail service providers? So basically yeah, we have cable running to the house, but we can choose which retail cable company to go with instead of being stuck with whoever happens to own the cable in that area.... I bet we would have a lot better deals then.


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## Wino (Dec 1, 2001)

That article is well over a year old (4/12/2009) and I guess will depend on whether the caretaker PM Julia Gillard or whomever is duly elected still supports the initiative. If it remains a go, I salute Australia.:up:

http://www.pm.gov.au/Policy_Priorities/Future/Priorities#Infrastructure



> Part of 2009-10 Australian Budget
> 
> Creating a National Broadband Corporation, which will invest up to $43 billion in a high-speed National Broadband Network that will deliver superfast broadband to 90 per cent of homes, schools and workplaces. The Government will be the majority shareholder and significant private sector investment is expected.


It would be nice to have the same here, and if we had options. My city has the infrastructure (fiber optics) already in place (city owned public utility) but will not allow it's use for internet in deference to AT&T and Time Warner / RoadRunner. A 3rd company is in town but has very little coverage. TW had it to themselves for ages, then AT&T and Grande came in - prices didn't drop, but neither have they gone up. Frankly, I would rather pay my city coffers and get a reduction in my real estate taxes than pay any of the providers we have currently.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, the population of Australia is about 21,500,000, the last estimate I see for the US is 307,000,000.

If you calculate the cost per person to do the same thing in the US, the cost would be about 442B, not exactly a fit for the current budget!


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## paisanol69 (Sep 7, 2005)

Rob Pearson said:


> I searched the forums and didn't notice anyone posting this story so I'm going to...
> 
> *Aussies Announce $31B National Broadband Network*
> 
> ...





Wino said:


> That article is well over a year old (4/12/2009) and I guess will depend on whether the caretaker PM Julia Gillard or whomever is duly elected still supports the initiative. If it remains a go, I salute Australia.:up:
> 
> http://www.pm.gov.au/Policy_Priorities/Future/Priorities#Infrastructure
> 
> ...


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Too bad the US is so far behind. Broadband is a birthright in many countries, like Japan. And even the slowest is 10 times faster than ours.

But we love money more than they do. That's what all the haggling and special interests in Washington really boils down to. Greed will prevent anything like that from happening here. We'll fight over the pie until it is torn to shreds and no one gets any.


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## Wino (Dec 1, 2001)

JohnWill said:


> Well, the population of Australia is about 21,500,000, the last estimate I see for the US is 307,000,000.
> 
> If you calculate the cost per person to do the same thing in the US, the cost would be about 442B, not exactly a fit for the current budget!


I'd say it's not so much the population, but the landmass.



> ...I am going to try to post this reply again. I just wrote a reply, and then clicked on the "Submit Reply" button, and got booted off the site.
> 
> Must have been a gov bot, attempting to shut me up
> 
> ...


Paisonl - I appreciate your point but guess I'm not that paranoid here in the USA, nor do I think our government would be dumb enough to attempt to control to the extent you believe possible. Not saying they wouldn't or couldn't, just doubt it. If it does happen anytime in the future, this country will be down the crapper anyway.

You are surely correct on one thing - I wouldn't trust the republicans at all, but even they are not that dumb.



Elvandil said:


> Too bad the US is so far behind. Broadband is a birthright in many countries, like Japan. And even the slowest is 10 times faster than ours.
> 
> But we love money more than they do. That's what all the haggling and special interests in Washington really boils down to. Greed will prevent anything like that from happening here. We'll fight over the pie until it is torn to shreds and no one gets any.


Elvandil - you nailed it. That is what I was referring to in my post. My city has and owns the infrastructure but won't compete.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Wino said:


> I'd say it's not so much the population, but the landmass.


I don't buy that, the landmass of Australia is very similar to the US.

[WEBQUOTE="http://www.ga.gov.au/education/geoscience-basics/dimensions/aus-size-compared.jsp"]Australia is the planet's sixth largest country after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil.[/WEBQUOTE]


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## loserOlimbs (Jun 19, 2004)

I wouldn't want the US government to do this. A government monopoly is bad news. Poor service and worse customer service is the norm, I'd rather get a little less speed, spend about the same and be treated like a customer.


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## Wino (Dec 1, 2001)

JohnWill said:


> I don't buy that, the landmass of Australia is very similar to the US.
> 
> [WEBQUOTE="http://www.ga.gov.au/education/geoscience-basics/dimensions/aus-size-compared.jsp"]Australia is the planet's sixth largest country after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil.[/WEBQUOTE]


That was my point. Has more to do with landmass / logistics than people, particularly if wireless IMHO. In any case, it will never happen here (USA) as pointed out by Elvandil and if it comes to pass in Australia, lucky them.:up:


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

From some of the comments about what the Australian government wants to control after their broadband is in place, I'll pass on total government control of my Internet access. 

Our politicians do such a good job of screwing up everything they touch, let's keep their hands off the Internet as much as possible!


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## Wino (Dec 1, 2001)

JohnWill said:


> From some of the comments about what the Australian government wants to control after their broadband is in place, I'll pass on total government control of my Internet access.
> 
> Our politicians do such a good job of screwing up everything they touch, let's keep their hands off the Internet as much as possible!


Unless you plan to move to Australia I doubt you have anything to fear.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Wino said:


> Unless you plan to move to Australia I doubt you have anything to fear.


I fear out government screwing it up if they ever managed to get their hands on it!


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## muppy03 (Jun 19, 2006)

In theory it all sounds good, but what about the cost to consumers? This is where we have the problem, with such a small population, we already lack competition as it is. Will it be the case of widening the gap between the haves and the have nots?

We dont even have true unlimited internet but are shaped if you go over your limit.

Up until recently Telstra was THE only telecommunications provider until deregulation was introduced. Of course they own the infrastructure and were recently fined 18.5 million for not playing fair and not allowing access to its telephone exchanges so that competitors can install equipment to provide new voice and broadband offerings for customers.

Telstra was wholly government owned but privatised in stages from the late 1990s. The government still owns a %.


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