NBN Business case released!

[Dusty Trail]

Wayne and Julia haven't a clue about computers so what are they on about? Most of their voters haven't a clue either. I read something recently from an Old Bloke who said "I'm 72 and not sure how computers work but mine seems really slow so I want the new FAST NBN for $20 a month". Ha ha ha. Wonder if his name was Tom?

[Jovial Monk]

ISPs love the NBN business case:

NBN business plan good for competition: ISPs, telcos
Industry welcomes business opportunities

The NBN Co Corporate Plan will strengthen competition and bring new business opportunities, according to local telecommunications and ISP companies.

The business plan, released on Monday 20 December, outlined 120 points of interconnect (POI) that will offer mobile services backhaul and a feed from the NBN will cost telecommunications wholesalers $24 a month.

iiNet chief regulatory officer, Steve Dalby, said the wholesale broadband prices are identical to what it currently offers consumers.

“We won’t be dramatically changing our prices but as the network won’t be available until next year, there is time to do research and differentiate our services from other providers,” he said

Dalby said the company has been a major supporter of the NBN and he sees opportunity for the company once the rollout begins.

“It opens the market up to competition and means we can provide services to consumers all over Australia," he said.

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article ... =4&fpid=15

[Jovial Monk]

Terry Cutler of the CSIRO wrote an article on using broadband for health and other things. He quotes stats that for acute care patients 80% of the time the diagnosis is made on the basis of the patient’s history:

Only two things hold us back from realising the potential. The first is that within health and community services we need to re-examine the current business models and incentive structures across the sector to facilitate different ways of doing things. Second, the example of eHealth has some important implications for the way we think about broadband infrastructure.

First, ubiquity is important. We can create institution-to-institution links now, but we need extensive household coverage to realise a truly citizen-centric and cost-effective health system. We also know from experience that networked solutions only take off when there is a tipping point in the level of penetration. The more people are linked in, the more beneficial the system becomes for everyone. That is why is it useful to focus on applications that can drive take-up and use.

Second, e-health and other like examples highlight the need for the high capacity symmetrical bandwidth that fibre links facilitate. Present copperwire and wireless-based solutions are predominantly built around an asymmetrical model where there is far greater download capacity than upload.

[My emphasis]

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/244770,op ... now.aspx/2

[Jovial Monk]

NBN Co orders $500 million of fibre cables
By Ry Crozier on Jan 17, 2011 2:47 PM (1 hour ago)

Corning goes overhead, Prysmian gets grounded.

NBN Co has awarded half a billion dollars worth of contracts to cable makers Corning and Prysmian in deals expected to create about 450 local manufacturing jobs.

The two companies will be charged with manufacturing ribbon cable, where strands of fibre run parallel to each other.

Corning was expected to supply aerial cabling while Prysmian's cables would go underground.

Corning has an initial order from NBN Co worth $400 million and a five-year deal that could be worth $1.2 billion.

Prysmian – perhaps better known by its former name, Pirelli Cables & Systems – won an initial order worth $150 million, although its own five-year contract could be worth twice that.

Although more than half of the orders placed with Corning were expected to be made locally, the company said that some of the initial cable would be sourced from its international plants.

However, Corning was expected to invest $25 million into a factory at Clayton, Melbourne, buying new equipment, retraining staff and creating "300 to 400" jobs.

"Corning will invest in additional cable plant and equipment to manufacture specialised ribbon cable and expand its cable sheathing operations as part of a commitment to manufacture a high proportion of its fibre optic cable for NBN Co in Australia," NBN Co said in a statement.

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/244995,nb ... ables.aspx

Cool, can never have too many jobs!

[White Indigene]

Make sure to ignore the flood damage, now.

And, don't forget to forget how its probably all still functioning without wires at the moment.

[Jovial Monk]

Uh, wireless went out too.

[White Indigene]

Seriously...

Uh, wireless went out too.

Im quietly curious if it was primarily failure at node, pit or tower. Ok, the power went out, so that stopped everything, but how much copper prevailed over wireless, or opposite, I wonder?

Interesting case study there.

[Jovial Monk]

Fibre fared best.

[boxy]

The NBN will be outdated when we all become genetically engineered telepaths!

[IQS.RLOW]

Why is Liebor so fucking shonky? Sneaky little fluffy bunnies they are.

No CBA. Exemption from FOI. I'm surprised they haven't asked for our bank account numbers just so they can dip their filthy hands in whenever they want and take whatever they need to implement whatever fucked up policy they have written on the back of a beer coaster

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/legal- ... 5990464123

A LEGAL expert has questioned the decision to protect the $35.9 billion National Broadband Network project from freedom of information laws.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has confirmed her understanding is that as an incorporated company NBN Co will not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

The decision has already drawn public criticism from the Opposition and Greens and this afternoon Curtin University law professor Joseph M. Fernandez said the extraordinary public expenditure made the NBN a special case.

“The mere incorporation of a company should not in itself attract blanket protection,” Professor Fernandez said.

“Every taxpayer is entitled to ask the question why such an exemption - even if it is available by law - should apply in this case.

Toss these fucks out NOW! Before the completely ruin the nation