Election 2010:: Broadband policy

Steven Conroy and Tony Smith both debated the broadband policy yesterday. The Transcript can be seen on the ABC.

After reading it all I can write is that I feel sorry for Tony Smith. He's trying to sell a lemon why Conroy has got the juicy juicy mango. Obviously the only thing Smith can say is that it is cheaper.

I got my hands on the Coalitions broadband policy (Thanks to Greg Hunt who got back me, three cheers!) 
My main concern is that I don't actually know how this Coalition policy will affect me.
While in the Labours policy Bass has already been identified and will be one of the first to get in Victoria to get the NBN.

I'm actually not all that concerned by the money. Sometimes I believe the government needs to invest where the private sector wont. I also believe that the government when it get around to selling it will make a handsome profit.

The other thing is that I actually believe that it will benefit Australia having this infrastructure.

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Election 2010:: An email to Mr Hunt

I sent off an email to Mr Greg Hunt our sitting member for Flinders. Its pretty self explanatory::

Hey Greg,

I don't know if you have read this but this, came from the "Bass Coast", "Coastal winter/spring" from our Council. Page 10.

There has been much talk lately about the Federal Governments National Broadband Network rollout.
Bass Coast was identified as one of six locations Australia wide to receive the first installation of fibre-optic cable under the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program.
A company called Nextgen won the national tender and in conjunction with Visonstream plan to lay the cable in the South-West Gippsland section in the second half of 2010. Most of the cable will be attached to the existing power pole infrastructure.
Cable is currently being laid by a different company along the desalination pipeline route. When joined with the Nextgen cable, this will create a loop throughout south-west Gippsland
A host of other companies called third-party providers, mainly internet service providers (ISPs) and telcos, will sign up individual residential and commercial customers....

Just wondering will these plans be scrapped with the a Coalition government?
Sorry to be a pain on this but I couldn't actually understand how with the Coalitions Communications policy release how it would affect us in Cowes.

All the best

Scott

I'm struggling to believe that the Coalitions Broadband policy is going to work in the country. The main reason is because I really don't see telco's investing in fixed line in the country. Telstra is not making money from it and I doubt they will want to invest in this area. 
The other reason is I dont think the Coalition have explained how in the country area's it will be bring us up to par with our city counter parts. Price, speed and data limits for any population greater than 5000 people in the regionals  should be competitive as it is in the City. (I just want to be on an equal par with our City counterparts. I don't care about who's policy is the fastest etc etc)

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Telstra's share price drop

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Telstra's posted its profit which was not what the market expected and as a result share price drop.

The main cause of worry for share owners is the drop in fixed line. As reported from the ABC ::

Telstra's chief executive David Thodey says the carrier's main problem is its failure to retain customers when they move from fixed-line to mobile services.
He says now is a transitional time for the company, during which it will embark on a new suite of strategies to stop the company from losing more market share.
"Today the greatest asset that Telstra has is our customer base, and we have been losing too many customers and we cannot allow it, in fact I am not going to allow it to continue," he said.
He says that might mean sacrificing some profits in the short-term.
"Do we maximise short-term cash returns, by reducing costs and losing market share, or do we bite the bullet and invest for longer-term growth?" Mr Thodey asked rhetorically.

Some good and bad news I think for consumers.
The good news and I think we are already seeing this is Telstra is going to be more competitive.
The bad news especially if the Coalition gets in. Telstra sees no profit in investing in infrastructure especially fixed line. Translated: no faster broadband in  country areas.

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Election 2010 :: Abbott out of puff?

Has Tony Abbot run our of puff? Personally there have been quite a few negatives for the Coalition this week.

The first was the actual Coalitions 'Election launch'. The whole thing seemed to be going back to the 'Good old days' with John Howard given a huge prominence. There seemed to be no vision, no really policy that was innovative.

The second was the communications launch. This one I was really holding my breath on. What I judge this one on is the Crappy service we get on Phillip Island.

Mobile broadband = Crap, as soon as the weekend comes or public holidays the speed goes to a crawl
Fixed line = Telstra. Telstra has the monopoly, no choice. Telstra gets my money for line rental no matter what.

As far as I could understand this is not going to change under the Coalition. That even if it does they have done a poor job explaining it to me how it will.

While the Labor party their is hope with the National broad band. The important thing is I can understand how it will happen.

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Telstra, Telstra

Just after Telstra announced its lower than expected profits yesterday I received a letter from them today.

It announced that they are changing their billing system and that my bill will 'be shorter and easier to read'

The strange thing about this is we have no Telstra services, no mobile, no fixed line, no broadband or wireless broadband.

No wonder they are loosing money!