NBN debate full of 'erroneous' information

[freakiness]

I found this article today.

It addresses some of the issues I see repeated frequently, often by people who know better.

As I trial user I am totally sold on the NBN as an FTTP project.

In my lifetime I've seen the expansion of the copper network until it's limits have been reached.  And I've seen the emergence of optical fibre connectivity from the trunk lines and big business to the NBN.  There's been private rollouts to specific estates and other estates with Telstra. TransACT tried a variety of technologies before settling on FTTP, much the same as the NBN.

It's a great investment for us all. And about the furthest thing from short term election cycle investment in decades.

I'm happy to post the rest of the article if anyone doesn't like links but would like to read it.

It is only going to get worse. Ever since it was first announced more than  four years ago, the national broadband network has polarised people, including  those whose official public comments add considerably to the debate. Some of it  is erroneous and misleading, according to the experts. And even then, experts'  opinions vary.

IT Pro asked about a dozen Australian academic institutions to  compile a list of statements they believe are inaccurate. Three of them  responded with the following comments. You might like to add your own in the  comments below.

"Alternative technology" not really an alternative now

Mark Gregory, senior lecturer at RMIT's school of electrical and computer  engineering, said the public is being misled on how alternative technologies  including hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) and fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) could be used  to replace fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) and speed up the NBN rollout.

"To change direction now requires major, multi-billion dollar contracts be  renegotiated with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone – and there is no reason why any  of these companies would agree to proceed."

He said there was also a multitude of construction contracts that would need  to be changed or exited, placing a burden on taxpayers.

"Evidence is emerging as the NBN rollout proceeds that the copper network is  beyond saving, network plant and infrastructure requires substantial maintenance  and upgrades, and there are more network black-spots than previously  identified.

"The Australian public is being hoodwinked by false statements that have been  substantively disproved," Gregory said.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/government-it/nbn-debate-full-of-erroneous-information-20130404-2h8m...

Are you in favour if the NBN as it stands?

[lakeland27]

"....he doesn't like seeing children abused online, hardly a crime eh ?"
Agreed LL, but Conroy finally relised it would be almost technically impossible to filter content in this day and age of encrypted communications, or more likely was told.

Stephen Bartholomeusz 30th. March
Even NBN Co itself has mused aloud about whether there should be a fresh look at the costs and benefits of considering a mix of technologies.

NBN Co's admission that the National Broadband Network faces increasing competition from increasingly sophisticated wireless networks places yet another query over the economics of the network and provides another strand to Malcolm Turnbull's advocacy of a lower-cost NBN using a mix of technologies.

Thankfully, whilst the NBN has arranged to shut down any HFC/ADSL broadband competition and become a monopoly, the ACCC did not grant its request to ban competition from mobile wireless broadband.
A good  system, that requires no competition??

I am somewhat puzzled LL at the differences link, where within it twice it has stated:-

"copper expires after 30 years.",  expires???

yes, conroy believed it possible as he is a politician not a technician. but over time learnt it was probably not possible.  i did read some good arguments to take this out of the hands of politicians who not being experts.. and prone to partisan points of view ( turnbull also being a good example) so the best outcomes could be achieved.

as for "copper expires after 30 years." i can only guess it starts to deteriorate at about that point in terms of maintenance/ efficiency. verdigris maybe ? i dont know. it might not be the actual material (copper) but the connections or where one copper line meets another .. joins.

[poddster]

hahahahaha talk about a biased poll

How about an adition to the choices

No because it was sold under false pretences and will no deliver what it was said to deliver

[freakiness]

hahahahaha talk about a biased poll

How about an adition to the choices

No because it was sold under false pretences and will no deliver what it was said to deliver

Not a valid choice because it delivers exactly what it says it delivers.

[poddster]

100 Mbs to every household??

[not_an_eloi]

remember an article where nick ross explained that, to some extent

"In suburban Australia over 85 per cent of the copper network is over 30 years old. The life expectancy for the copper is 30 years. A 'typical' suburban street has 50 homes, Copper cable was provisioned at 'two to two-and-a-half' pairs per home.
That means there are around 100 pairs per street. Subsequently, at the start there was near 100 per cent redundancy.

Each Telstra pillar services around 200 customers spread across four streets or so. As such there are 4 x 100 cable pairs.

The 4 x 100 cable pairs terminate on the customer side of the pillar. A 300 pair cable (or larger) terminates on the exchange side of the pillar. Customer pairs are cross connected (called 'jumpered') to the telephone exchange side pairs in the pillar.

Because of faulty pairs, ageing, water intrusion, changes and split-redeveloped blocks, redundancy in the cables is now much less than the original 'near 100 per cent.' It is now closer to zero.

Now add to this the adds, moves, changes, and the repairs performed by contractors who have no ownership of the infrastructure and who have not updated records for over five years. The result is we have no redundancy and a 30-plus per cent error rate in the records for the last kilometre - the pillar to the home.
Intriguingly, our source offered the following additional information which once again hasn't been discussed anywhere in the mainstream. It is to do with pair gain systems which have traditionally been used by Telstra to reduce the amount of copper needed to connect estates over five kilometres away from an exchange. However, it transpires that these systems may have been used extensively to prop up rotten copper lines around the network in order to make them serviceable for basic voice services. Their use is significant in that data cannot travel through a pair gain system - also referred to as a RIM (an FAQ on RIM units can be found here).

Pair Gain Systems are virtual circuits which have been installed to accommodate growth. Most people don't know they are on these 'inferior' systems until they apply for ADSL. Then they need to be changed onto a real copper pair. These lines won't work with Fibre to the Node."

[freakiness]

100 Mbs to every household??

Who said it would deliver 100Mbps to every household?

a) depends on the plan you pay for

b) sat and wireless plans are 25/5 max for the moment with upgrade capability.

c) fairly soon the max available over FTTP will be 1000Mbps

[*crikey*mate*]

I never thought anyone was saying anything about C&P's. The topic was NBN, hardly off topic if someone mentions another factor of it other than the opening post.

so how come you got cross at me for doing that in the suicide thread the other day? I bought up other aspects (ie not just for the elderly) and you got really cross at me cos it deviated from the OP.?:|

[poddster]

Even Hong Kong cant manage 100Mbps and Hong Kong is tiny and is much more technologically advanced.

Are we led to belkive that Australia will lead the world in communication technology?

hahaha Soon enough huh ? when piggies develope wings?

http://www.netindex.com/download/allcountries/

[*crikey*mate*]

All I know is I I had wireless internet and for $110 I got 15GB per month of intermittant access. (and it took 2 years of fighting and someone from Tassy to fight Tel*** and get me THAT!

Now I have ADSL2 and I get 250 GB a month for $100 plus free local and long distance calls and it works all the time and is like a luxury!

Don't know what system to thank for that - but damn it's good!

[freakiness]

Even Hong Kong cant manage 100Mbps and Hong Kong is tiny and is much more technologically advanced.

Are we led to belkive that Australia will lead the world in communication technology?

hahaha Soon enough huh ? when piggies develope wings?

http://www.netindex.com/download/allcountries/

Are you stupid or just arguing for the sake of?