Australia's Shambolic NBN

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Australia's Shambolic NBN

jonb

1779 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 524

Trusted

#180826 23-Sep-2015 09:24

So, Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN) is finally starting to launch an Fibre To The Node (FTTN) service, after cancelling it's own version of our UFB program. So as a country it will be upgrading to where most of NZ was back in 2008, after Telecom deployed FTTN to most urban areas. Their NBN will also be patched up with co-axial cable, which is already struggling with increased traffic

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/21/nbn_fibretothenode_launched/

http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2015/09/15/deluded_aussie_geeks_hail_turnbulls_elevation_to_prime_minister/

I read The Register regularly, and been watching how they've managed to gradually stuff it up, going back to the failure of reigning in the power of Telstra, who said either give us freedom from regulation in exchange for helping build Fibre To The Premises, or be fought by them all the way. It was good the NZ government were able to enforce the Spark/Chorus separation to prevent that happening here.

It will end up costing Australia about as much as if they just went and built a full FTTP network now. Instead they'll just have to do it all again in a decade or two's time, whilst we in NZ will be streaming ahead with UFB. .

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

253 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 116

#1392490 23-Sep-2015 09:29

I guess the take away from this is - we have it pretty sweet. It's easy to complain but seeing how bad others have it helps put everything back into perspective.

Try my latest project, a Cisco type 5 enable secret password cracker written in javascript!

wasabi2k

2101 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 856

#1392494 23-Sep-2015 09:39

pdath: I guess the take away from this is - we have it pretty sweat. It's easy to complain but seeing how bad others have it helps put everything back into perspective.

Would describe it as sweet myself .... /s

pdath

253 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 116

#1392496 23-Sep-2015 09:40

wasabi2k:
pdath: I guess the take away from this is - we have it pretty sweat. It's easy to complain but seeing how bad others have it helps put everything back into perspective.

Would describe it as sweet myself .... /s

Haha. Fixed.

Try my latest project, a Cisco type 5 enable secret password cracker written in javascript!

Dairyxox

1594 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 455

#1392503 23-Sep-2015 09:45

Its not too often we get one up over the Aussies, but this seems like it will reverberate into the future for a while yet.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18726 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15570

Lifetime subscriber

#1392510 23-Sep-2015 09:56

As a rural victim of the Telecom monopoly I used to feel there was a lot to complain about but no more. 4G wireless rocks so credit where it is due. Our Internet used to suck. Now it is fantastic. Thank you, oh evil powers that be. Thank you Big Brother. Thank you reactionary right-wing government. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Technofreak

6543 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3316

Trusted

#1392515 23-Sep-2015 10:00

The man who over saw the Aussie NBN fiasco is now their Prime Minister.

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

knoydart

904 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 154

Trusted

#1392559 23-Sep-2015 10:17

One the main register writers on nbn pulls the current fttn build apart every time he sits down at a keyboard. Its almost funny to read seeing but I cry a little too for the technology legacy its going to leave. In addition the cost has apparently bloomed to almost the same price as a fttp build and paying Telstra $2B a year for the next 30 odd years as well for the copper - Ouch.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

Lorenceo

904 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 336

Trusted

#1392587 23-Sep-2015 10:49

The "NBN" situation in Australia is indeed disappointing. Eventually the mistake will become clear to more there rather than just the geeks. While things on the UFB front here are moving along, in my opinion we shouldn't start patting ourselves on the back yet.
Having a better network than Australia is one thing. Having fibre deployed to every property in every major city is another. We should always be pushing to make things better, and as it stands now we still have a lot of room for improvement.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9992

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1392590 23-Sep-2015 10:56

The NBN was slightly different to UFB though. The original fibre NBN was going to be a fully government funded project, compared to UFB here which is in many ways a PPP with only part funding by the government.

What they have done is dumb.. And I think they'll eventually realise that come 2020 when NZ has fibre everywhere and they're stuck with VDSL2.

webwat

2036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 145

Trusted

#1392989 23-Sep-2015 19:16

I think the only mistake NZ made was to allow fibre co's to put splitters in street cabinets/pits where its difficult to open competition for the Layer 2 service. However without competition between Layer 2 wholesalers we still have a certain amount of monopoly power as can be seen by Chorus' predictable noise about copper prices subsidising the UFB project.

Time to find a new industry!

raytaylor

4029 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1246

Trusted

#1393012 23-Sep-2015 19:35

I thought after 2020 the UFB network opens up to layer 1 wholesale access? Just like the cabinetisation rack space that no one seems to use outside of auckland wellington and chch.

There are mentions in the UFB2 tender documents on SMART about opening up to layer 1 wholesale access.

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

Spreadsheet for Comparing Electricity Plans Here

DarkShadow

1647 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 656

#1393036 23-Sep-2015 20:16

webwat: I think the only mistake NZ made was to allow fibre co's to put splitters in street cabinets/pits where its difficult to open competition for the Layer 2 service. However without competition between Layer 2 wholesalers we still have a certain amount of monopoly power as can be seen by Chorus' predictable noise about copper prices subsidising the UFB project.

This is in CFH's agreement with Chorus (p99), should have the same wording in other agreements with LFCs.

8 The provisioning of fibre in the Network allows for sufficient fibre to permit future Layer 1 unbundling post 31 December 2019, with:
• two fibres per Premises from the Central Office to the Premises where a point to point architecture is chosen;
• two fibres per Premises from the Splitter housing to the Premises where a Point-to-multipoint architecture is chosen;
• sufficient feeder and distribution fibres, where a point to multipoint architecture is chosen, such that each Premises may be served by two distribution fibres fed from separate splitters, the second splitter to be provided and installed either by an Access Seeker or by the Company on behalf of an Access Seeker; and
• sufficient fibre to allow for growth and in-fill housing.
Company will be required to provide Layer 1 unbundling by December 31 2019. Company will have flexibility to determine how best to manage the investment required to meet this obligation including how investment now is balanced with investment in the future.
...
11 The Company will provide accommodation and facilities for unbundled point-to-multipoint Layer 1 Access Seekers from 1 Jan 2020.
12 In the event that the Street Cabinets or Fibre Flexibility Points do not accommodate Access Seeker point-to-multipoint splitters that they will provide for a tie cable from the Cabinet or Fibre Flexibility Point to the Access Seeker’s cabinets/fibre flexibility points. Co-location of Access Seeker splitters in the Street Cabinets or Fibre Flexibility Points or Tie Cables to the Access Seeker splitters are not required to be offered until 1 January 2020.

Sideface

9439 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 14863

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1393041 23-Sep-2015 20:23

Sideface

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79608 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 38034

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1888074 23-Oct-2017 14:28

Bringing this thread back to life...

Malcolm Turnbull says the NBN was a mistake

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says that, in hindsight, the National Broadband Network project was a mistake and blamed the former Labor government for setting up a new government company to deliver the mammoth infrastructure project.

And Mr Turnbull, who was previously the Communications Minister in the Abbott government, admitted the giant project might never make back the money invested by taxpayers.

Please support Geekzone by subscribing, or using one of our referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Geekzone and Quic social @ DataVault Auckland 18 Oct 2025 11AM - 2:30 PM

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79608 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 38034

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1888075 23-Oct-2017 14:32

Also, I'm currently in Sydney. Broadband here is painful.

Please support Geekzone by subscribing, or using one of our referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Geekzone and Quic social @ DataVault Auckland 18 Oct 2025 11AM - 2:30 PM

1 | 2 | 3 | 4