Telstra only one able to bring rural broadband

From
http://business.theage.com.au/telstr...0403-238r.html

SIR Humphrey famously remarked in Yes Minister after Jim Hacker sought his
advice: "Minister, if you really want to tell them that, you can, but it
would be a very brave decision on your part."

Well, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has been brave and canned the
billion-dollar contract with Opel, the Optus-Elders joint venture that
planned to deliver broadband in rural areas using fixed and wireless
technologies.

The contract was awarded in the middle of last year by former minister Helen
Coonan on departmental advice that Opel's ambitious plans, involving
unproven WiMAX radio technology, could solve the problems of rural broadband
access.

That Conroy has cancelled the contract should come as no surprise. It was
awarded even before Opel had wireless spectrum and the network plans and
coverage claimed can only be described as extraordinary.

Quite how Opel could have submitted a business plan that warranted $1 billon
in government subsidy when it didn't have spectrum and the necessary radio
plans remains a mystery. It was only in January that Opel secured spectrum
after paying Austar $65 million for wireless licences that are not suited to
widespread rural coverage.

In return for $1 billion, Opel promised to match the funding, largely in
kind, which meant Elders shop fronts and existing Optus mobile phone sites
and towers. And it was questionable how much of the money was to be spent on
delivering new rather than duplicate infrastructure, as part of the Opel
funding seemed destined to replicate Telstra links that Optus now rents for
commercial mobile phone services in rural areas.

With Telstra keeping the pressure on by pursuing the tender award through
the courts, Conroy could no longer ignore Opel's fanciful claims, especially
as they started to confront benchmarks for rolling out the network. Based on
a departmental assessment in January, it appears Opel could only deliver 75%
of their promised radio coverage.

Nor, given that the expert broadband panel has begun work on awarding the
$4.7 billion subsidy for a national fibre-optic high-speed network, could
Conroy ignore the overlap between the Opel network and his own rural
broadband plans.

But while Conroy might feel pleased that his earlier criticisms of Opel have
been vindicated, he will have his own policy demons to confront as his
expert group's work progresses. If the Opel plan was based on a fiction,
that WiMAX operating at high frequencies could serve rural areas, his own
broadband plans based on a competitive tender are also badly flawed.

Only Telstra can build a national network within the subsidy on offer. Quite
how Conroy confronts the obvious contradictions and problems in his own
policy will test the mettle of the Sir Humphreys in his own department and
demonstrate just how brave the minister really is.

"Alan Parkington" <patriot@iheartaustralia.com.au> wrote in message
news:ru1Jj.5515$n8.4280@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> From
> http://business.theage.com.au/telstr...0403-238r.html
>
> SIR Humphrey famously remarked in Yes Minister after Jim Hacker sought his
> advice: "Minister, if you really want to tell them that, you can, but it
> would be a very brave decision on your part."
>
> Well, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has been brave and canned the
> billion-dollar contract with Opel, the Optus-Elders joint venture that
> planned to deliver broadband in rural areas using fixed and wireless
> technologies.
>
> The contract was awarded in the middle of last year by former minister
> Helen Coonan on departmental advice that Opel's ambitious plans, involving
> unproven WiMAX radio technology, could solve the problems of rural
> broadband access.
>
> That Conroy has cancelled the contract should come as no surprise. It was
> awarded even before Opel had wireless spectrum and the network plans and
> coverage claimed can only be described as extraordinary.
>
> Quite how Opel could have submitted a business plan that warranted $1
> billon in government subsidy when it didn't have spectrum and the
> necessary radio plans remains a mystery. It was only in January that Opel
> secured spectrum after paying Austar $65 million for wireless licences
> that are not suited to widespread rural coverage.
>
> In return for $1 billion, Opel promised to match the funding, largely in
> kind, which meant Elders shop fronts and existing Optus mobile phone sites
> and towers. And it was questionable how much of the money was to be spent
> on delivering new rather than duplicate infrastructure, as part of the
> Opel funding seemed destined to replicate Telstra links that Optus now
> rents for commercial mobile phone services in rural areas.
>
> With Telstra keeping the pressure on by pursuing the tender award through
> the courts, Conroy could no longer ignore Opel's fanciful claims,
> especially as they started to confront benchmarks for rolling out the
> network. Based on a departmental assessment in January, it appears Opel
> could only deliver 75% of their promised radio coverage.
>
> Nor, given that the expert broadband panel has begun work on awarding the
> $4.7 billion subsidy for a national fibre-optic high-speed network, could
> Conroy ignore the overlap between the Opel network and his own rural
> broadband plans.
>
> But while Conroy might feel pleased that his earlier criticisms of Opel
> have been vindicated, he will have his own policy demons to confront as
> his expert group's work progresses. If the Opel plan was based on a
> fiction, that WiMAX operating at high frequencies could serve rural areas,
> his own broadband plans based on a competitive tender are also badly
> flawed.
>
> Only Telstra can build a national network within the subsidy on offer.
> Quite how Conroy confronts the obvious contradictions and problems in his
> own policy will test the mettle of the Sir Humphreys in his own department
> and demonstrate just how brave the minister really is.

You'll end up completely blind if you dont watch out, wanker.

Alan Parkington <patriot@iheartaustralia.com.au> wrote:
> Alan Parkington <patriot@iheartaustralia.com.au> wrote

>> From
>> http://business.theage.com.au/telstr...0403-238r.html

>> SIR Humphrey famously remarked in Yes Minister after Jim Hacker
>> sought his advice: "Minister, if you really want to tell them that,
>> you can, but it would be a very brave decision on your part."

Wota fucking wanker.

>> Well, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has been brave

Nope. They need to cut stuff that they can lie about not being an election promise.

>> and canned the billion-dollar contract with Opel, the Optus-Elders joint venture that planned to deliver broadband in
>> rural areas using fixed and wireless technologies.

And it remains to be seen if the courts will allow that to happen.

>> The contract was awarded in the middle of last year by former
>> minister Helen Coonan on departmental advice that Opel's ambitious plans, involving unproven WiMAX radio technology,
>> could solve the problems of rural broadband access.

>> That Conroy has cancelled the contract should come as no surprise.
>> It was awarded even before Opel had wireless spectrum and the network plans and coverage claimed can only be
>> described as extraordinary.

Pity about their previous promise to abide by the contract.

>> Quite how Opel could have submitted a business plan that warranted $1 billon in government subsidy when it didn't
>> have spectrum and the necessary radio plans remains a mystery.

Thanks for that completely superfluous proof that you have
never ever had a fucking clue about anything at all, ever.

>> It was only in January that Opel secured spectrum after paying Austar $65 million for wireless licences that are not
>> suited to widespread rural coverage.

That last is a pig ignorant lie, thats what Austar used them for, fuckwit.

>> In return for $1 billion, Opel promised to match the funding, largely in kind,

That last is another pig ignorant lie of yours.

>> which meant Elders shop fronts

Irrelevant.

>> and existing Optus mobile phone sites and towers.

So no 'in kind' involved, fuckwit.

>> And it was questionable how much of the money was to be spent on delivering new rather than duplicate infrastructure,

Taint duplicating anything when its servicing those who cant otherwise get broadband, fuckwit.

>> as part of the Opel funding seemed destined to replicate Telstra links that Optus now rents for commercial mobile
>> phone services in rural areas.

Thanks for that completely superfluous proof that you have
never ever had a fucking clue about anything at all, ever.

>> With Telstra keeping the pressure on by pursuing the tender award
>> through the courts, Conroy could no longer ignore Opel's fanciful claims,

Thanks for that completely superfluous proof that you have
never ever had a fucking clue about anything at all, ever.

>> especially as they started to confront benchmarks for rolling out the network.

Thanks for that completely superfluous proof that you have
never ever had a fucking clue about anything at all, ever.

>> Based on a departmental assessment in January, it appears Opel could only deliver 75% of their promised radio
>> coverage.

Or that's Conroy's lie, anyway.

>> Nor, given that the expert broadband panel has begun work on awarding the $4.7 billion subsidy for a national
>> fibre-optic
>> high-speed network, could Conroy ignore the overlap between the Opel network and his own rural broadband plans.

Pity about his previous commitment to abiding by contracts.

Which the law requires anyway.

>> But while Conroy might feel pleased that his earlier criticisms of Opel have been vindicated,

You're lying, again.

>> he will have his own policy demons to confront as his expert group's work progresses.

Thanks for that completely superfluous proof that you have
never ever had a fucking clue about anything at all, ever.

>> If the Opel plan was based on a fiction, that WiMAX operating at high frequencies could serve rural areas, his own
>> broadband plans based on a competitive tender are also badly flawed.

Easy to claim, hell of a lot harder to actually substantiate that claim.

>> Only Telstra can build a national network within the subsidy on offer.

No one has ever claimed that that $4.7B was the total cost, fuckwit.

>> Quite how Conroy confronts the obvious contradictions and problems in his own policy will test the mettle of the Sir
>> Humphreys in his own department and demonstrate just how brave the minister really is.

Wota fucking wanker.

On Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:52:43 +0000, Alan Parkington wrote:

> "Alan Parkington" <patriot@iheartaustralia.com.au> wrote in message

Your address seems to be scrambled. shouldn't that be
"wanker@isuckseppos.com"?

> news:ru1Jj.5515$n8.4280@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>> From
>> http://business.theage.com.au/telstr...o-bring-rural-
broadband/20080403-238r.html
>>
>> SIR Humphrey famously remarked in Yes Minister after Jim Hacker sought
>> his advice: "Minister, if you really want to tell them that, you can,
>> but it would be a very brave decision on your part."
>>
>> Well, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has been brave and canned
>> the billion-dollar contract with Opel, the Optus-Elders joint venture
>> that planned to deliver broadband in rural areas using fixed and
>> wireless technologies.
>>
>> The contract was awarded in the middle of last year by former minister
>> Helen Coonan on departmental advice that Opel's ambitious plans,
>> involving unproven WiMAX radio technology, could solve the problems of
>> rural broadband access.
>>
>> That Conroy has cancelled the contract should come as no surprise. It
>> was awarded even before Opel had wireless spectrum and the network
>> plans and coverage claimed can only be described as extraordinary.
>>
>> Quite how Opel could have submitted a business plan that warranted $1
>> billon in government subsidy when it didn't have spectrum and the
>> necessary radio plans remains a mystery. It was only in January that
>> Opel secured spectrum after paying Austar $65 million for wireless
>> licences that are not suited to widespread rural coverage.
>>
>> In return for $1 billion, Opel promised to match the funding, largely
>> in kind, which meant Elders shop fronts and existing Optus mobile phone
>> sites and towers. And it was questionable how much of the money was to
>> be spent on delivering new rather than duplicate infrastructure, as
>> part of the Opel funding seemed destined to replicate Telstra links
>> that Optus now rents for commercial mobile phone services in rural
>> areas.
>>
>> With Telstra keeping the pressure on by pursuing the tender award
>> through the courts, Conroy could no longer ignore Opel's fanciful
>> claims, especially as they started to confront benchmarks for rolling
>> out the network. Based on a departmental assessment in January, it
>> appears Opel could only deliver 75% of their promised radio coverage.
>>
>> Nor, given that the expert broadband panel has begun work on awarding
>> the $4.7 billion subsidy for a national fibre-optic high-speed network,
>> could Conroy ignore the overlap between the Opel network and his own
>> rural broadband plans.
>>
>> But while Conroy might feel pleased that his earlier criticisms of Opel
>> have been vindicated, he will have his own policy demons to confront as
>> his expert group's work progresses. If the Opel plan was based on a
>> fiction, that WiMAX operating at high frequencies could serve rural
>> areas, his own broadband plans based on a competitive tender are also
>> badly flawed.
>>
>> Only Telstra can build a national network within the subsidy on offer.
>> Quite how Conroy confronts the obvious contradictions and problems in
>> his own policy will test the mettle of the Sir Humphreys in his own
>> department and demonstrate just how brave the minister really is.