National broadband network

[Biltongboer]

Hier in Australië is die regering partykeer so verveeld dat hulle nuwe goed soek om geld op te blaas. Daar word meer as genoeg genoeg geld gemors op die armsalige A***s, werkloses op die dole, die dingos en die bome. Maar dis nie genoeg nie.

Nou het die regering met 'n nuwe plan vorendag gekom. Hulle gaan $42 biljoen spandeer om 'n nuwe National Broadband Network regoor Australia te bou. Hierdie netwerk gaan optic fibre reg tot in jou huis laat hardloop. Behalwe nou vir plekke soos daar in Mauritzville, waar daar net 3 mense bly, gaan amper elke Australiese gesin 'n optiese vesel kabel he wat reg by sy huis ingaan.

Wat beteken dit? Dit beteken eerstens ongelooflike hoë-spoed internet konneksies. Dit beteken ook dat jy nie eens 'n telefoonlyn gaan nodig he nie. Die regering het twee vlieë met een klap geslaan. Hier is Telstra die nasionale telefoon landlyn-verskaffer, en hulle het 'n ongelooflike monopolie en maak vet winste. (Klink bekend ne?)

Die eerste voorstel van die regering sou vir Telstra nog baie in beheer gelos het. Die optic fibre sou net tot by "nodes" loop, en van daar na huise toe met gewone telefoon koperkabel - wat aan Telstra behoort. Toe Telstra egter begin toutrek met die tender proses, gooi die regering hulle uit, en niemand anders kon die tender regtig bevredig nie.

Toe trek hulle hierdie wilde eend uit die hoed uit. Hulle stig 'n nuwe maatskappy, waarvan die regering 51% aandele het, kombineer dit met privaatsektor maatskappye, en bou een massiewe optiese netwerk wat vir niks skrik nie.

As hulle deurdruk met hierdie ding, dan is een ding seker vir enige ou wat werk soek in Australië - sorg dat jy gekwalifiseer is in "splicing of optic fibre cables", of enige iets wat daarmee verwant is - die aanvraag na ervare mense in hierdie lyn van werk gaan enorm wees. Om 'n optiese vesel kabel te las of te termineer is nie so eenvoudig soos met 'n gewone koperdraadjie nie. Dis nie net van strip die draad, sit 'n ferrule op en draai die skroefie vas nie - daar is spesiale tools en opleiding nodig hiervoor.

Dink net daaraan - 20 miljoen huise, miljoene kantore, duisende sentrales gaan almal opgekoppel moet word oor die volgende 8 tot 10 jaar, regoor 'n kontinent wat so groot is soos die VSA. Iemand moet daar wees om die werk te doen. Iemand moet weet hoe om stukkende kabels te las, en terminasies te toets en reg te maak. Dis nooit te laat om te leer nie. Ek dink ek gaan sommer self kyk of ek so kursus iewers kan indruk - kan my net help vorentoe.

[bluebonnet]

Baie interessant.

[louw.pretorius]

I'm lovin the country more and more....

[Jordy]

This Broadband deal is an absolute joke. I was listening to the opposition rip it to shreds and they made sense. The $42B is a guestimate. The Rudd government actually has no idea how it will cost. They think maybe t$42B but probably alot more. But based on the estimated cost of $42B for the 100mbps line in todays terms, it will cost $200 per line rental. The opposition pointed out, "who in the right mind would pay that much?" Especially when to be honest the current speeds do the job. Yes 100mbps is so nice, but are you will to pay the price to get the nice-to-have. Currently in our area we can get 8mbps, but we only have 1.5 cause thats what we are prepared to pay.

Further more, the 100mbps wont be installed for EIGHT years. Thats right EIGHT years! To give you an idea of how pathetic that is, South Korea is currently rolling out 1000 mbps which will be up and functioning in three years.

[Omzig]

Jordy,

I'm a telecoms engineer and have been following this debate with great professional interest.

The opposition is focusing on the wrong aspects of the proposal (a "red herring" defence), and is using a "stick figure argument", i.e. it's attacking a caricature of the actual deal.

The ultra-wide-broadband backbone with broadband user connectivity is an absolute future necessity. You may only be prepared to pay for 1.5 Mbps, but this is purely because of your current connection needs. Not that long ago you were probably quite happy with a dial-up. Telecoms providers are now understanding that the future is in converged services such as "triple play" - TV on demand, Internet, VoIP over the same connection. To provide such services, the current ADSL-spec connectivity is absolutely inadequate. In fact, even 100 Mbps is borderline when streaming a HD movie with full surround sound. The government is doing the correct thing by assuming responsibility for this network. If you followed the debate, you'd understand that the initial approach was to leave it to the private sector, but not much happened, and the government stepped in to ensure that the country is not left behind.

The broadband deal is a good thing.

[Biker]

Say for example I learn how to slice & dice these optic fibre connections, how satisfied will I be with my job after day 1? After week 1? after month 1? after year 1?

I think I'm gonna stick with my security car park job for now.

[Jordy]

The broadband deal is a good thing.

Dont get me wrong. I fully agree with you. I guess Telkom has left a lasting frustration with government and Telecommunications.

But still to be looking forward to only 100Mbps in 8 years time is frustrating. If they are going to spend all this money on a totally new internet infrustructer, why not at least aim for something that is world leading when it finally gets done a decade from now. If Japan is on 100Mbps at the moment, then Australia will be at least a decade behind.

To me it is bit like a company spending a fortune in trying to develop a good video tape machine when the rest are already on DVD's.

[Gravy]

Hier in Australië is die regering partykeer so verveeld dat hulle nuwe goed soek om geld op te blaas. Daar word meer as genoeg genoeg geld gemors op die armsalige Abbos, werkloses op die dole, die dingos en die bome. Maar dis nie genoeg nie.

Mate, with an attitude like that you're going to have problems. There are no 'biltong boers' in Aus. Sometimes people need to think before the push the send button, unbelievable.

[bluebonnet]

Mate, with an attitude like that you're going to have problems. There are no 'biltong boers' in Aus. Sometimes people need to think before the push the send button, unbelievable.

You noticed. Not so nice, hey? I read a lot of books on Australia by Bryce Courtenay, I recommend it to some. He also has 2 very good books on SA, which I also recommend. But this is off topic now.

[louw.pretorius]

Remember, when the fiber is laid and the ditches has been dug it's only the switches that has to change to go from 100mbps to 1gbps, the fiber will support both and adding more fibers is very easy if the pipes are already there.

So yes 100mbps is maybe not so impressive 8yrs in the future but upgrades is very very simple and quick once everything is inplace.

Bandwidth is like money, you can never have too much....

Information Super-Highway: another reason to go2Oz

[Alida]

Mate, with an attitude like that you're going to have problems. There are no 'biltong boers' in Aus. Sometimes people need to think before the push the send button, unbelievable.

Why find it necessary to get personal ? You would like the freedom to say what you want and think, don't you ? Stick to the story, don't get personal to a fellow forumite. It might just 'happen' one day that you might need help from a 'biltong boer' down under ...

Use PM if you need to say something personal. Don't spread bad taste on this great forum, please.

PS: There IS at least one BILTONGBOER down under... a much appreciated one, in case you didn't notice.

Edited April 12, 2009 by Alida

[Rover]

Remember, when the fiber is laid and the ditches has been dug it's only the switches that has to change to go from 100mbps to 1gbps, the fiber will support both and adding more fibers is very easy if the pipes are already there.

So yes 100mbps is maybe not so impressive 8yrs in the future but upgrades is very very simple and quick once everything is inplace.

Bandwidth is like money, you can never have too much....

Information Super-Highway: another reason to go2Oz

Very true...

Which brings on the second question: What sort of connectivity do Aus have with the rest of the world?

No use you to have the equivalent of an eight-lane highway running from house to house, but only a dirt track connecting you to the outside.

[Cyberdeth]

Google is your friend ;-) http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-repli...cfm/989657.html

[Cyberdeth]

Also http://www.iscpc.org/cabledb/01Cable_Database_Page.htm

[louw.pretorius]

~2Tbps international links, ooooh it just gets better and better....

[Gravy]

Why find it necessary to get personal ? You would like the freedom to say what you want and think, don't you ? Stick to the story, don't get personal to a fellow forumite. It might just 'happen' one day that you might need help from a 'biltong boer' down under ...

Use PM if you need to say something personal. Don't spread bad taste on this great forum, please.

PS: There IS at least one BILTONGBOER down under... a much appreciated one, in case you didn't notice.

Oh phuleeess, pathetic. Freedom to say what you want comes with a certain responsibility. Spouting rubbish and trying to act like a 'main man' as did the OP, certainly indicates a lack of generally accepted values. The opening lines of the original post are offensive. That kind of nonsense is what tarnishes the rest of the SA'can community.

In my opinion a good post destroyed by one or two lines of totally unrelated material

[Jordy]

In my opinion a good post destroyed by one or two lines of totally unrelated material

Gravy, did you click the "report this thread" post. If not that really is your first port of call. If you clicked that button you would see there is a place to write what you are reporting. If the hosts agree with you, they will edit the offensive material. I wish more people would use this function. It surely would stop these arguments.

[louw.pretorius]

In my opinion a good post destroyed by one or two lines of totally unrelated material

In my opinion a good thread destroyed by one idiot with an agenda, get with the program its not about the detail it's about the message, get over yourself. Don't sweat the small stuff and keep your sensitivities to yourself.

If you want to put forward a respected post read a bit more on this forum and you will see the person you are trying to trash is a respected poster with no agenda, just trying to help out.

And for your information there ARE Biltong Boere in Oz.

<sigh> Why do i bother with these n00bs

[Gravy]

Oh Crikey, not another one. Sheeez.

[Dax]

Let's keep it down to a medium bellow, please Folks Stay on topic like adults and let's refrain from turning this thread into a pie throwing contests.

Cheers,

Dax

[Biltongboer]

Someone else contacted me about my terribly offensive post that apparently sent smoke signals to the UN, the AOU, the ANC Youth League and Brak Osama.

Seems I missed a lot of bull about nothing. As usual.

I was quite amused by the typical beloved "SA culture" that sprang up again. Smoke, dung, tar and feathers - all about being Politically Erect.

I don't regret one word of my post, and I stand by it. Get off your high horse, Mr Gravy train.

[JimmyC]

Los maar vir ou Vleissous uit. Die mannetjie trek maar net by 14 posts.

[louw.pretorius]

I STILL think this broadband initiative is in itself enough reason for me to emigrate - it shows a country that thinks about and does something about the future.

24Mbps here I come . . .

[Cyberdeth]

I agree with you louw. It'll only be a couple of month's until leave my measly 3Mbps connection for nice beefy 24Mbps. Yeehaaawww.

[GTrotter]

Australia is behind in the broadband race compared to other first world and even some developing countries eg. India. This is needed to row the economy. I hope the proposal is implemented and in a few years I can get 100 Mbs !