FTTG – Fibre To The Gate – sounds so much better than FTT Premises – except that it wont apply to the farm gate

Back on the topic of paying for FttH, it is inevitable that it will be built, so it is good to get underway sooner rather than later. In my view, a combination of paid entertainment delivery and remote-sensing and control of electricity supply at premises will be major contributors to the revenue stream and cost offsets respectively. If the recession eases next year as predicted, it will have very little impact on funding sources for this ten-year project, which Barry agrees is Business-As-Usual infrastructure.

Forgetting about the Peak Oil claims, it is fantastic to see a leap in R&D into better solar cells (e.g. the low-cost polymeric materials whose sub-molecular structures are being fine-tuned using visual analysis by Melbourne University’s new sub-angstrom-resolution electron microscope), as this is where a lot of Australia’s future energy will come from. All our energy has the sun as its ultimate source (apart from the moon’s gravitational contribution to both ocean waves and ground stress that builds geothermal energy). The sun enables all life, which decomposes producing oil and gas, for instance. Although we are now in our third year of global cooling after the thirty-year warm cycle of the mid-1970s to mid-2000s, according to NASA’s latest observational data, our huge available sunlight will eventually be converted much better than current expensive cells can manage and will make local power generation ubiquitous and even portable. Parabolic mirrors for direct solar heating of water at coal power stations are already starting to reduce the amount of coal needed to drive their base-load steam turbines. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this exciting technology field, and frankly get very tired of hearing pseudo-science horror scenarios.

It is most unlikely that the energy will be available to finish the NBN.
The economy will slow in lock step with energy powerdown and money will
be very tight and probably not available for the NBN.

The politicians do not acknowledge the problem but never the less it is
upon them already.

Dick I can’t agree more with you. Between 2001 and 2005 I spoke to 50 councils talking about the broadbanding of their local communities. Unfortunately sofar very little has happened here, partly because historically councils have never been involved in telecoms and this makes it very difficult from them to move into that area. I believe they can play a key role in this both on a infrastructure level (something councils are involved in) and community and business development. I also know that the Minister is keen in getting the councils involved but so far I have not seen a good plan of action on how these rather positive developments forwards, hopefully we do find a good formula for that.

I also red your letter in the AFR. The digital economy benefits that you state are exactly the sort of issues we need to raise. The naysayers only see the FttH as fast Internet and scaremonger that this will cost us $200 pm. So even what I would assume are well informed people apparently ‘don’t get it yet’. This means that we do need to continue to emphasise that the FttH as critical infrastructure for the digital economy. I am also using my electricity vs. gaslight example to illustrate that see: http://www.budde.com.au/News_and_Views/2009/April/Malcolm_Turnbull_and_the_gas_light.aspx

One that needs to be carefully considered by Minister Conroy and those that would advise him is the practical role that could potentially be played by the Local Government sector. In this context I believe that the indication that fibre links to premises will in some cases be via aerial cable installation is both short-sighted and can only represent an unnecessary “red herring” debate. It will be opposed by many communities and Local Councils and will distract the discussion away from the many other essential matters that will need careful consideration. Minister Conroy appeared to think that this probable opposition to aerial deployment of cable could be overcome simply by “consultation”.

I would propose an alternative approach in which the Federal Government establishes a historic direct and equal partnership with Local Government. This is a real opportunity for these two tiers of government to join together to achieve the most effective realisation of the FTTP policy.

The Federal Communications Department has already developed close and co-operative links with a number of Local Councils via previous infrastructure development projects under programs such as Clever Networks. These should be built on and extended.

Canberra needs to appreciate that it is Local Government that is “on the ground” and that a significant number of Councils are already working on how to get FTTP into greenfields estates and have been for some years. This experience and commitment should be recognized and taken advantage of within the overall NBN MKII blueprint.

Other Councils will struggle with the concept of mandated FTTP in greenfield property developments, especially if there is any insistence on aerial installation of cable. This should also be recognized and dealt with co-operatively and sensitively.

Another short point – Minister Conroy and his colleagues should reduce the emphasis on the “monument building” aspects of the NBN and instead spend more time promoting the social, economic and community benefits that will be the real raison d’etre of the initiative. The NBN is not an end in itself but will only be justified and justifiable for what it can do for the country and the community.