While yesterday's game changing announcement has been largely welcomed by the communications and content industries, the revamped strategy will add at least another year to the eventual deployment of high speed broadband services in Australia. With the build time slated for eight years and another onerous vendor RFP to be issued the overall timeline has been pushed out by at least 12 months.
"The expansion of the timeframe to eight years is a potential concern that will require further detail," commented Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) CEO Ian Birks. Birks however branded the move as an innovative solution to delivering necessary outcomes in a market now constrained by capital. "It provides a new and open opportunity for all industry to contribute to a successful broadband model in Australia. Given the radical nature of this change, the wider industry will be awaiting the detail with great interest."
He added that; "Australia must now rise to the challenge of using the National Broadband Network in an innovative and productive way to address our current economic and societal issues or else we run the risk of building a six lane highway to nowhere. As FTTP services are established, value-added services across areas from eHealth to education reform must follow as a priority."
Citigroup analyst Phil Campbell notes that the remainder of 2009 will be consumed with the finalisation of changes to regulation and network design and funding of the new government owned broadband entity Netco. He added that the FTTH network will revolutionize the delivery of video into the home. "As a result we expect to see chages to content regulation. For example the government may enforce cross media control of exclusive content."
The government also faces the challenges of gaining Senate approval. Prime Minister Kevn Rudd urged Australans today to back the plan."It is time that Australians made it very plain and very loud and clear what they think of this blocking opposition tactics. This is serious stuff. The Liberals have enormous influence in the Senate. For Australians who want this infrastructure rolled out, make it very plain, absolutely crystal clear what you think about this proposal and what you think about a political party which for opportunistic reasons wants to vote it down." The federal government hastily announced that initial Tasmanian build to 90% of the state¹s population today in conjunction with Aurora Energy, which has already dabbled in FTTH deployment in recent years. Tasmania currently has the lowest proportion of households with broadband of any state or territory at 39% compared with the Australian average of 52 %.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Natalie Apostolou
Quelle/Source: Digital Media, 08.04.2009
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