National Broadband Network: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Telecommunications network in Australia}} |
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{{Infobox company |
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{{About|National Broadband Network (NBN)|the company tasked with its rollout and management|NBN Co}} |
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|name = National Broadband Network Corporation Limited<br> |
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{{Distinguish|National Broadcasting Network (disambiguation){{!}}National Broadcasting Network}} |
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|type = [[Government-owned corporation]] |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}} |
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|genre = |
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{{Use Australian English|date=February 2017}} |
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|foundation = 2009 |
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[[File:NBN node installation.jpg|thumb|An NBN FTTN (fibre to the node) cabinet during installation]] |
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|founder = [[Australian Government]] |
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The '''National Broadband Network''' ('''NBN''') is an Australian [[National (distribution)|national]] wholesale [[Open-access network|open-access]] data network. It includes [[wired communication|wired]] and [[Radiocommunication service|radio communication]] components rolled out and operated by [[NBN Co]], a [[government-owned corporation]]. [[Internet service providers]], known under NBN as retail service providers or RSPs, contract with NBN to access the [[Telecommunications network|data network]] and sell fixed [[Internet access]] to [[end users]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://delimiter.com.au/2011/03/09/nbn-what-does-retail-service-provider-actually-mean/ |title=NBN: What does 'retail service provider' actually mean? |last=LeMay |first=Renai |website=Delimeter |date=9 March 2011 |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> |
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|location_city = {{Melbourne|Australia}} |
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|location_country = [[Australia]] |
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|location = Melbourne Central, The Tower 360 Elizabeth Street Melbourne 3001 |
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|origins = |
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|key_people = Mike Quigley (CEO) |
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|area_served = Australia |
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|industry = Telecommunications |
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|products = |
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|services = |
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|revenue = |
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|operating_income = |
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|net_income = |
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|num_employees = |
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|parent = |
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|divisions = |
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|subsid = |
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|owner = |
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|slogan = |
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|homepage = [http://www.nbnco.com.au/ nbnco.com.au] |
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|dissolved = |
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|footnotes = |
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}} |
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Rationales for this national telecommunications infrastructure project included replacing the [[Plain old telephone service|existing copper cable telephony network]] that is approaching [[End-of-life (product)|end of life]],{{efn|For example, most of Australia's copper network is affected by water due to extensive use of faulty gel for insulation in the past.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ross |first1=Nick |title=NBN alternative: Is |url=http://www.abc.net.au/technology/articles/2013/09/19/3851924.htm |access-date=12 December 2014 |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=19 September 2013}}</ref>}} and the rapidly growing demand for Internet access. As initially proposed by the [[Rudd government (2007–2010)|Rudd government]] in 2009, wired connections would have provided up to 100 Mbit/s (later increased to 1000 Mbit/s), although this was decreased to a minimum of 25 Mbit/s in 2013 after the election of the [[Abbott government]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344966/bandwidth_demand_reach_1gbps_by_2020_nbn_co_ceo/ |title=Bandwidth demand to reach 1Gbps by 2020: NBN Co CEO |last1=Hutchinson |first1=James |date=30 April 2010 |work=Computerworld |access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/national-broadband-network-to-be-10-times-faster-says-stephen-conroy/news-story/003a43b7ee543afeeebaa22f23fdf1b1|title=NBN to be 10 times faster - Stephen Conroy |date=12 August 2010 |work=[[News.com.au]]|access-date=1 March 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.afr.com/technology/abbott-turnbull-detail-coalitions-25mbps-broadband-plan-20130409-jybfz |title=Abbott, Turnbull detail Coalition's 25Mbps broadband plan |last1=Fitzsimmons |first1=Caitlin |date=10 April 2013 |work=[[Australian Financial Review]]|access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/525840/his_own_words_tony_abbott_nbn/ |title=In his own words: Tony Abbott on the NBN |last1=McDonald |first1=Stephanie |date=9 September 2013 |work=[[Computerworld]]|access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref> |
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The '''National Broadband Network''', is a [[Fiber to the x|Fibre to the Home]] (FTTH) network set to be built in [[Australia]]. The [[Government of Australia|Australian Government]] has established a Government business enterprise, NBN Co Limited<ref name="New National Broadband Network">{{cite press release |title=New National Broadband Network |publisher=Joint Press Release: Prime Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for Broadband |date=2009-04-07 |url=http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/022 |accessdate=2009-04-07}}</ref>, to design, build and operate an [[Open Access Network]] providing download speeds of 100 [[Data rate units#Megabit per second|Megabits per second]] to 90% of Australian homes and businesses, for which it is offering to contribute an initial cash injection of up to [[Australian dollar|A$]]43 billion. The remaining homes and businesses will be supplied using wireless and satellite technologies. The network will be built as a [[public private partnership]].<ref name="Taylor">{{cite news |last=Taylor |last=Rob |title=Australia to build broadband network |work=[[Reuters]] |date=2009-04-07 |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE5356YN20090406 |accessdate=2009-04-07}}</ref> It will be the largest single infrastructure investment in Australia's history.<ref>{{cite news |last=Egan |first=Michael |coauthors=(Terria chairman) |title=A separate company for a broadband network |work=The Age |date=2008-09-05 |url=http://business.theage.com.au/business/a-separate-company-for-a-broadband-network-20080904-49zt.html |accessdate=2008-09-07}}</ref> Work on the rollout in [[Tasmania]] began in July 2009 and the first services are expected to be available by July 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tasmania NBN Co Limited established|url=http://www.australia.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13516:tasmania-nbn-co-limited-established&catid=74:business-news&Itemid=198}}</ref> On 20 June 2010, Telstra signed a non-binding agreement to participate in the National Broadband Network rollout. <ref>{{cite news |title=Telstra signs National Broadband Network agreement |work=Australia Times |date=2010-06-20 |url=http://www.australia-times.com.au/national/article.php?id=7130 |accessdate=2010-06-20}}</ref> |
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As the largest infrastructure project in Australia's history,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://business.theage.com.au/business/a-separate-company-for-a-broadband-network-20080904-49zt.html |title=A separate company for a broadband network |last=Egan |first=Michael |date=5 September 2008 |work=[[The Age]]|access-date=7 September 2008 |location=Melbourne}}</ref> NBN was the subject of significant political contention and has been an issue in [[2013 Australian federal election|federal elections]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://theconversation.com/senate-hearing-circus-shows-politics-has-no-place-in-nbn-20943 |title=Senate hearing circus shows politics has no place in NBN |last1=Sorell |first1=Matthew |date=2 December 2013 |work=The Conversation |access-date=4 March 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="abc130616">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-13/federal-election-nbn-promises-past-and-present/7506714 |title=Explained: What is happening with the NBN? |last1=Conifer |first1=Dan |date=13 June 2016 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> The [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] government initially stated that the "Multi-Technology Mix" (MTM) would be completed by 2016, however this was changed after the election to 2019 and then again to 2020. The project cost jumped from the Liberal Party's estimated $29.5 billion before the 2013 federal election, to $46–56 billion afterwards. In 2016 NBN Co. said it was on target for $49 billion,<ref name="abc130616"/> but by late 2018 the estimated final cost was $51 billion.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/web/nbn/nbn-co-hopes-for-enterprise-saviour-after-2-billion-blowout-20180831-h14rlv |title=NBN Co hopes for enterprise saviour after $2 billion blowout |work=Financial Review |access-date=1 September 2018}}</ref> |
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==Projected characteristics== |
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{{toclimit|3}} |
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The National Broadband Network will be built with the following characteristics: |
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==History== |
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* Download speeds of 100 [[Data rate units#Megabit per second|Megabits per second]] for 90% of Australia homes and businesses |
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{{main|History of the National Broadband Network}} |
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* The remainder of Australian homes and businesses will be serviced by a combination of next generation wireless and satellite technologies with a minimum speed of 12 [[Data rate units#Megabit per second|Megabits per second]] |
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* Network to be operational progressively over 8 years as a [[public-private partnership]] |
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* Be able to provide high quality voice, data and video services including symmetric services such as [[high-definition video|high definition]] [[video-conferencing]] |
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* The Network is expected to cost up to [[Australian dollar|A$]]43 billion with the government issuing infrastructure bonds to allow private investment in the network, this will be capped at 49% |
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* Network to be an [[Open Access Network]] |
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* Have a uniform pricing structure, regardless of customer location |
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* The Australian Government will hold a 51% share and will operate the network for ten years once completed before selling down their stake. |
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* It will require the creation of 47,000 new jobs over the next eight years and will support 25,000 jobs every year until completed<ref name="New National Broadband Network"/> |
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== |
===2007=== |
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A fast broadband initiative was announced in the run-up to the 2007 federal election by the Labor opposition with an estimated cost of {{nowrap|A$15 billion}} including a government contribution of $4.7 billion that would be raised in part by selling the Federal Government's remaining shares in Telstra. |
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The following organisations placed bids before the deadline on 26 November 2008: |
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{| class="wikitable" border="1" |
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|- |
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! <center>Bidder</center> |
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! Coverage |
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! Details |
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|- |
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| Acacia |
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| National |
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| Proposed 100% population coverage.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foo |first=Fran |title=Acacia confirms national NBN bid |work=[[The Australian]] |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24710253-5013040,00.html |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> |
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|- |
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| [[Axia NetMedia]] |
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| National<ref>{{cite press release |title=Axia Submits Australian NBN bid |publisher=Axia NetMedia |date=2008-11-25 |url=http://www.axia.com/documents/investors/news/2008/081125_Australia_bid.pdf |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> |
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| Proposed use of [[FTTP]] in metro areas and [[FTTN]] in regional areas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Canadian plan for national broadband network is 'faster, cheaper' |publisher=The Australian |date=2008-12-11 |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24782904-2702,00.html |accessdate=2008-12-10}}</ref><ref name="AxiaDetails">{{cite news |title=Axia shows its NBN hand |publisher=Australian IT |date=2008-12-11 |url=http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24780196-5013041,00.html |accessdate=2008-12-11}}</ref> |
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|- |
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| [[Telstra]] |
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| National<ref name="TelstraBidRelease">{{cite press release |title=Telstra submits NBN proposal |publisher=Telstra |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media/announcements_article.cfm?ObjectID=44024 |
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|accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=McGauchie |first=Donald |title=National Broadband Network - Telstra Proposal |publisher=Telstra |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media/docs/nbn_proposal_261108.pdf |
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|format=PDF |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> |
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| Submitted a 12-page bid<ref name="computerworld.com.au">[http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/268848/telstra_bids_nbn/]</ref> but withheld a fully detailed bid and proposed 90% population coverage.<ref name="TelstraBidRelease"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Telstra broadband bid is valid:Conroy |work=ABC News |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/26/2430492.htm?section=australia |
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|accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bingemann |first=Mitchell |
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|title=Telstra 'bid' a joke: Optus |work=[[The Australian]] |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24710301-15306,00.html |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> |
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|- |
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| [[Terria (consortium)|Terria]]/[[Optus]] |
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| National<ref>{{cite press release |title=Optus launches NBN bid backed by TERRiA |publisher=Optus |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.optus.com.au/portal/site/aboutoptus/menuitem.813c6f701cee5a14f0419f108c8ac7a0/?vgnextoid=787b38f8ab6dd110VgnVCM10000002cd780aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b54ce67d77677110VgnVCM10000029867c0aRCRD |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> |
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| [[Optus]] Networks Investments submitted a 1000-page bid<ref name="computerworld.com.au"/> on behalf of [[Terria (consortium)|Terria]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Terria NBN bid morphs into Optus bid |work=iTWire |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.itwire.com/content/view/21923/127/ |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> proposing use of [[FTTN]].<ref name="AxiaDetails"/> |
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|- |
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| [[Tasmanian Government]] |
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| [[Tasmania]]<ref>{{cite press release |title=Tasmania's National Broadband Network bid lodged |publisher=David Bartlett, Premier of Tasmania |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.media.tas.gov.au/release.php?id=25396 |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> |
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| Proposed FTTH and wireless services to remote areas not covered by FTTH |
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|- |
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| [[TransACT]] |
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| [[Australian Capital Territory|ACT]]<ref>{{cite press release |title=TransACT’s National Broadband Network proposal to deliver a world-class solution for the ACT |publisher=TransACT |date=2008-11-26 |url=http://www.transact.com.au/news/Article.aspx?id=930 |accessdate=2008-11-26}}</ref> |
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|} |
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The [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]] [[Rudd government (2007-2010)|Rudd government]] was elected on 24 November 2007 and initial planning commenced. |
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On 15 December 2008, the [[Government of Australia|Australian Government]] excluded the Telstra bid from the process as it did not comply with the RFP (Request for Proposals).<ref>{{cite press release |
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| title = Telstra proposal excluded from further consideration under Government's NBN process |
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| publisher = Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy |
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| date = 15 December 2008 |
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| url = http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/097 |
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| accessdate = 2 September 2009 }} |
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</ref><ref>{{cite press release | title = Commonwealth excludes Telstra from National Broadband Network RFP process | publisher = [[Telstra]] | date = 15 December 2008 | url = http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media/announcements_article.cfm?ObjectID=44142 | accessdate = 2 September 2009 }}</ref> |
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The NBN was originally to deliver its wholesale service through [[Fiber to the x|fibre to the node]] (FTTN) and reach approximately 98% of premises in Australia by {{nowrap|June 2016}}. A new satellite network would be built to reach the rest of the country.<ref>[https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22library%2Fpartypol%2FE2KM6%22 ALP: Stephen Conroy, Kevin Rudd and Lindsay Tanner, (March 2007), New directions for communications: a broadband future for Australia: building a national broadband network], [[Australian Labor Party]] policy document</ref> |
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On 7 April 2009, the Australian Government announced that the RFP had been terminated and that the Australian Government would instead construct a [[Australian dollar|A$]]43 billion FTTH network to supply 90% of the population with speeds of 100 [[Data rate units#Megabit per second|Megabits per second]] the remainder being served by next generation wireless and satellite technologies with speeds of 12 [[Data rate units#Megabit per second|Megabits per second]]. The decision was based on a report stating that the remaining bids did not present value for money.<ref name="dbcde_RFP_terminated">{{cite web | title = National Broadband Network: 21st century broadband | publisher = [[Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy]] | date = 14 August 2009 | url = http://www.dbcde.gov.au/communications/national_broadband_network | accessdate = 2 September 2009 }}</ref> The Tasmanian Government was selected for fast-tracked negotiations to build on its proposal and work within the federal government's revised plan, with a view to starting construction in July 2009.<ref name="Taylor"/><ref name="dbcde_RFP_terminated" /> Because the RFP was terminated, companies such as Telstra can still purchase infrastructure bonds in the new company. |
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== |
===2008=== |
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An initial request for proposal (RFP) to build the NBN was issued but not executed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The National Broadband Network Request for Proposal Process |url=https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/the-national-broadband-network-request-proposal-process |archive-date= |website=Australian National Audit Office}}</ref> Organisations lodging compliant proposals were neither able to meet the requirements nor able to raise the necessary capital. A non-compliant proposal was received from Telstra and they were excluded from consideration. |
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The NBN was proposed during 2007 as an [[election promise]] by then opposition leader [[Kevin Rudd]].<ref>{{cite press release |title=Building Australia's Prosperity - Federal Labor's New National Broadband Network |publisher=[[Australian Labor Party]] |date=2007-03-21 |url=http://www.alp.org.au/media/0307/mscomfinloo210.php |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> The proposal both competed with and was to run alongside the then government's 'Broadband Connect' project, which was awarded to [[OPEL Networks]] in the lead up to the election, but was cancelled in April 2008 once Kevin Rudd's Labour Government came into power. |
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===2009=== |
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Following Kevin Rudd and the Australian Labor Party winning the [[2007 Australian Federal Election]], a [[Request for Proposal]]s (RFP) was issued, with proposals submitted by [[Telstra]], [[Terria (consortium)|Terria]], Canadian based [[Axia NetMedia]], Acacia,<ref>{{cite news |last=Tindal |first=Suzanne |title=Acacia up for national NBN bid |work=ZDNet Australia |date=2008-10-01 |url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Acacia-up-for-national-NBN-bid/0,130061791,339292385,00.htm |accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref> as well as an individual state bid by the Tasmanian Government and a Canberra based bid lodged by [[TransACT]].<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Sullivan |first=Matt |title=National $10b-plus network a step closer |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=2008-08-08 |url=http://business.smh.com.au/business/national-10bplus-network-a-step-closer-20080807-3rqm.html |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> |
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The Rudd government announced it would bypass the existing copper network by constructing a new national network combining fibre to the premises (FTTP), [[fixed wireless]] and [[satellite Internet access|satellite]] technologies. The [[Rudd government (2007–10)|first Rudd government]] had proposed to develop a modern [[optical fiber|optical fibre]] telecommunications network to provide broadband access to 93% of the Australian population at 100 Mbit/s, with those areas and people outside the network footprint to be provided broadband access through fixed wireless and geosynchronous telecommunications satellite.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Eckermann|first1=Robin|date=1 November 2013|title=Getting some reality into debates about NBN FTTP|url=http://telsoc.org/ajtde/2013-11-v1-n1/a13|journal=Australian Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy|language=en|volume=1|issue=1|doi=10.7790/ajtde.v1n1.13|access-date=4 March 2017|doi-access=free}}</ref> |
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The cost estimate rose to $43 billion and later revised to $37.4 billion. The project was to be financed by a combination of a Federal Government investment of $30.4 billion and private investment for the remainder. |
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Following the release of network information by incumbent carriers, a closing date of 26 November 2008 was set for the RFP.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Date set for National Broadband Network proposals |publisher=Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy |date=2008-09-03 |url=http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/066 |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> |
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Dividends were to be paid after completion in 2021 to the federal government, with the government's contribution repaid by 2034. A [[return on investment]] of 7.1% was expected on revenue of $23.1 billion by 2021. |
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The incumbent carrier, [[Telstra]], was removed from the process on 15 December 2008. According to a spokesman for the Communications Minister [[Stephen Conroy]] "The expert panel has determined that Telstra’s submission to the national broadband network is not compliant. They are out of the process for the moment."<ref>{{cite news |title=Telstra's NBN bid rejected |work=[[News Limited|www.news.com.au]] |date=2008-12-15 |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24800767-15306,00.html |accessdate=2008-12-15}}</ref> |
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Tasmania was selected for a trial deployment based on the Tasmanian Government's submission to the RFP. A forced structural separation of Telstra was threatened but not completed. [[NBN Co]] was established on 9 April 2009 and [[Mike Quigley (businessman)|Mike Quigley]] appointed chief executive officer on 25 July. |
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On 7 April 2009, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy announced that the NBN would be built by the Australian Government as none of the private proposals have been "value for money."<ref name="dbcde_RFP_terminated" /> Although the RFP was terminated, the Tasmanian Government was chosen for fast-tracked negotiations to begin construction of the NBN in Tasmania.<ref>{{cite press release | title =Tasmania first to receive superfast broadband | publisher = Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy | date=2009-04-08| url=http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/023 | accessdate=2009-04-08}}</ref> |
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=== |
===2010=== |
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An implementation study was commissioned in April 2009 and released on 6 May. In April, NBN Co issued a request for tender (RFT) for the major FTTP rollout. Fourteen vendors submitted a proposal; however, NBN Co suspended the process on 1 April 2011, as the prices were unacceptably high. The first FTTP customers were connected in July 2010. |
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On 21 October 2009, The Federal Government and Tasmanian state government announced stage two of the National Broadband Network roll-out in Tasmania<ref>http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/323043/stage_2_tasmanian_nbn_announced NBN Stage Two</ref>. Stage two will include the areas of Sorell, Deloraine, George Town, St Helens, Triabunna, Kingston Beach and South Hobart<ref>http://whirlpool.net.au/news/?id=1850 Tasmania Stage Two</ref>. |
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The [[Gillard government]] was elected at the [[2010 Australian federal election]]. As a minority government priority was given to regional and rural areas, areas from which supporting cross-bench MPs were elected. An increase in the peak speed to one gigabit per second was announced in response to [[Google Fiber]] developments in the USA. After the election Opposition Leader [[Tony Abbott]] appointed [[Malcolm Turnbull]] as [[Shadow Ministry of Tony Abbott|Shadow Minister]] for [[Minister for Communications (Australia)|Communications and Broadband]], stating that he believed the NBN to be a [[white elephant]] and that Turnbull had "the technical expertise and business experience to entirely demolish the government on this issue".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-09-14/abbott-orders-turnbull-to-demolish-nbn/2260320 |first=Emma |last=Rodgers |date=14 September 2010 |title=Abbott orders Turnbull to demolish NBN |work=ABC News |access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref><ref>[https://www.smh.com.au//breaking-news-national/turnbull-back-to-demolish-nbn-20100914-15aj3.html AAP, (14 September 2010), Turnbull back to 'demolish' NBN], ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]''. Retrieved 29 July 2010</ref> |
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==Industry Reactions== |
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Initially, key communication industry players kept a fairly neutral and diplomatic opinion of the FTTP NBN plan. However, after AAPT labelled the NBN plan as "absolute rubbish" on 19 Nov 2009<ref>{{cite news | title=NBN a plot to break up Telstra: AAPT | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nbn-a-ploy-to-break-up-telstra-aapt/story-e6frg8zx-1225799459076 | date=November 19, 2009}}</ref>, others quickly took their sides. Telstra softly opposed the plan, "You use the right technology where it is cost-justified", indicating support of the idea of the NBN<ref>{{cite news | title=NBN a plot to break up Telstra: AAPT | |
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url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nbn-a-ploy-to-break-up-telstra-aapt/story-e6frg8zx-1225799459076 |
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| date=November 19, 2009}}</ref> - they also called for "debate on the need for a national broadband network". TPG are growing wary of the plan, calling for proper Cost-Benefit analysis<ref>{{cite news | title=TPG's David Teoh urges caution on NBN plans | |
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url=http://www.commsday.com/node/684 |
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| date=November 23, 2009}}</ref> - a common request to the Government. Optus appears to currently support the plan, after initially opposing it. |
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NBN Co's business plan was released on {{nowrap|20 December 2010}}, including forecasts and network design incorporating these priorities. Tasmania was selected as the first state for a three-stage trial FTTP rollout. Stage one was announced in July 2009. The first customers were connected a year later. Stages two and three were announced on 21 October 2009 and 1 March 2010, respectively. |
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Most industry players also have short-term plans for network upgrades, reaching speeds of 100Mbps yet only covering smaller areas of population. Optus announced trials of [[LTE]] hardware<ref>{{cite news | title=Optus first off the blocks with LTE trial | url=http://www.itwire.com/content/view/29443/127/ | date=November 18, 2009}}</ref>. Telstra announced an upgrade to their HFC network in Melbourne<ref>{{cite news | title=Telstra takes Melbourne cable network to 100 Mbps | url=http://www.itnews.com.au/News/160879,telstra-takes-melbourne-cable-network-to-200mbps.aspx | date=November 19, 2009}}</ref>, closely followed by Optus but in 3 cities<ref>{{cite news | title=Optus leaps over Telstra with 3-city DOCSIS 3 upgrade | url=http://www.commsday.com/node/680 | date=November 19, 2009}}</ref>. |
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Under the 2010 NBN Co corporate plan, it was estimated that the NBN construction would require A$27.5 billion in government equity and raise an estimated A$13.4 billion in debt funding without government support; a total funding requirement of A$40.9 billion up to FY2021. Financial forecasts for NBN Co assuming a 7% internal rate of return (IRR) expect the government and debt equity will be fully repaid including accrued interest by FY2040.<ref name="NBN Corporate Plan">{{cite report |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |title=NBN Corporate Plan |date=17 December 2010 |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=22 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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TransACT has already built up the country's first dedicated FTTH gateway in the new suburb of Forde in the ACT region. It's offering triple-play services( voice, video, broadband )via FTTH links at up to 100Mpbs download speed to 4 new greenfield suburbs namely Forde , Fraklin stage 2/3 , Crace and Casey 2 as off 2009 . |
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====Redesign==== |
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Such build-up can be perceived in a mixture of ways, opportunistic - with the Government stoking the growing hunger for bandwidth, pessimistic - the industry have high doubts that the NBN will be completed, competitive - getting ahead of the NBN, even providing an environment which makes the NBN unfeasible, and Government Sale - building with a desire to sell to the Government for a share in NBNCo. |
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Originally, NBN Co planned for a centralised model with only 14 points of interconnect (PoIs); however, that was overruled by the Federal Government on the advice from the [[Australian Competition & Consumer Commission]] (ACCC). The ACCC considered the plan to be "[[mission creep]]" and would have given NBN Co a monopoly over backhaul; however, NBN Co said centralised model would have allowed smaller RSPs to connect without going through a wholesale aggregator.<ref>{{citation|last=Corner|first=Stuart|title=ACCC pans NBN Co's 14 point of interconnect plan, wants 120|date=20 December 2010|url=http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/regulation/44051-accc-pans-nbn-cos-14-point-of-interconnect-plan-wants-120|publisher=[[iTWire]]|access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> ACCC recommended 121 Pols after [[public consultation]].<ref name="accc-pois">{{citation|title=ACCC announces outcome of NBN points of interconnect confirmation process|date=1 March 2011|url=http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/975609/fromItemId/966100|publisher=[[Australian Competition & Consumer Commission]]|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604155526/http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/975609/fromItemId/966100|archive-date=4 June 2011}}</ref> |
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[[Internode (ISP)|Internode]] criticised the "insane"<ref>{{citation|last=LeMay|first=Renai|title=Hundreds of POIs 'insane': Hackett|date=20 December 2010|url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/hundreds-of-pois-insane-hackett/|publisher=[[ZDNet]]|access-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> number of POIs and after its pricing announcement warned it might have to charge more in regional areas because of the increased costs.<ref name="internode-pricing-smh">{{citation|title=NBN retail price revealed: up to $189.95/month|date=21 July 2011|url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/nbn-retail-price-revealed-up-to-18995month-20110721-1hqbn.html|author1=Moses, Asher|author2=Battersby, Lucy|publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|access-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> In response Turnbull said the "government can't deliver on a crucial promise" of "national uniform pricing"; however, Minister for Communications, [[Stephen Conroy]] said that they "guaranteed uniform wholesale pricing" not retail pricing.<ref>{{citation|last=Tindal|first=Suzanne|title=We never promised a uniform retail NBN price: Conroy|date=22 July 2011|url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/we-never-promised-a-uniform-retail-nbn-price-conroy/|publisher=[[ZDNet]]|access-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> |
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==Criticism== |
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{{Synthesis|date=January 2010}} |
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The main criticism is the cost. $43 billion divided by 8 million Australian households<ref>{{cite web | title=Family Facts & Figures | url=http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/info/charts/households/havsize.html}}</ref> is $5,000 per household. Though this criticism is somewhat valid it does not take into account other uses of the network such as cellular network back-haul (which is negligible as many carriers have already invested in their own), pay television, on-demand services and business-to-business use of the infrastructure. No cost benefit analysis has been performed.<ref>{{cite news | title=OECD calls for broadband cost-benefit analysis | url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/OECD-calls-for-broadband-cost-benefit-analysis/0,130061791,339296640,00.htm?feed=pt_cost_benefit | date=12 May 2009}}</ref> |
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Internode (in 2010) warned that increasing the number of POIs was likely to lead to consolidation in the ISP<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://delimiter.com.au/2010/12/21/internode-warns-new-poi-model-could-consolidate-isp-industry/|title=Internode warns: New PoI model could consolidate ISP industry {{!}} Delimiter|last=LeMay|first=Renai|date=2010-12-21|work=Delimiter|access-date=2017-11-09|language=en-US}}</ref> industry. Following this warning the industry consolidated, resulting in four major RSPs ([[Telstra]], [[Optus]], [[TPG Telecom]] and [[Vocus Group|Vocus Communications]]) who accounted for the majority of the market share. |
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The Government has indicated a wholesale price of between $40–$70 compared, to $16–$30 for an [[ULL]] <ref>{{cite news |title=Conroy endorses $40-70 estimates for NBN wholesale prices |work=[[CommsDay]] |date=2009-10-23 |url=http://www.commsday.com/node/617 |accessdate=2009-11-19}}</ref>. If the upper limit of $70 is added to a typical retail margin of $50, it would cost $120 just for broadband alone. Monthly fees of over $200 have been suggested, while current fees are typically about $50 per month.<ref>{{cite news | title=$43 billion national broadband network price tag 'a bluff' | url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,26085464-5014239,00.html | date=September 17, 2009}}</ref> Of course bundling extra services would be more valuable as the wholesale connection is already paid for, but with service delivery such as [[telephony]] and video content moving toward internet based delivery, the ability to bundle extra services may be a pointless feature. |
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===2011=== |
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Compounding the issue of cost is competition. In order to pay off the capital of building the NBN, a high proportion of subscribers are needed before the revenue is greater than expenditure (which includes interest payments). The figure is likely between 60%<ref>{{cite news |title=Total NBN costs ‘no more than $27B’ – Axia chief |work=[[iTWire]] |date=2009-07-05 |url=http://www.itwire.com/content/view/26748/1231/ |accessdate=2009-11-19}}</ref> and 80%<ref>{{cite news |title=Details of new broadband network and Telstra's future soon to be revealed |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=2009-08-14 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/details-of-new-broadband-network-and-telstras-future-soon-to-be-revealed-20090913-fm82.html|accessdate=2009-11-19}}</ref>. The forces against the NBN include current communication infrastructure, pre-existing fibre [[backhaul]], [[Microwave]] and [[Dark fibre]] already used by big corporations, [[Plain old telephone service|POTS]] copper network, [[HFC]], green-field [[FTTP]], [[3G]] wireless networks and [[WiMax]] networks, as well us planned infrastructure, [[LTE]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Optus to launch LTE wireless trials |work=[[iTWire]] |date=2009-11-18 |url=http://www.itnews.com.au/News/160830,optus-to-launch-lte-wireless-trials.aspx |accessdate=2009-11-19}} |
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The Parliament passed the ''National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011'' and a related bill on {{nowrap|28 March}}. The RFT of April 2010 was suspended process on {{nowrap|1 April 2011}}, as the prices were unacceptably high. |
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</ref> and [[HFC]] <ref>{{cite news |title=Telstra accelerates HFC as NBN playing field tilts |work=[[CommsDay]] |date=2009-07-05 |url=http://www.commsday.com/node/318/ |accessdate=2009-03-10}} |
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</ref>. All of these networks will act in the marketplace as competition for the NBN, and the wireless alternatives are also quite interesting, given that they enable mobile freedom - which is becoming very popular<ref>{{cite news |title=Mobile broadband booming - but subscriber loyalty low, claim study |work=[[Fierce Wireless]] |date=2009-03-18 |url=http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/mobile-broadband-booming-subscriber-loyalty-low-claim-study/2009-03-18 |accessdate=2009-11-19}} |
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</ref>. If the required market penetration is not reached the NBN company will be running at a loss, requiring higher subscription fees, cost cutting, further investment or Federal Tax bail-out. |
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NBN Co contracted with [[Ericsson]] on {{nowrap|1 June}} to design, build and operate the network with options to extend the contract for up to 10 years at a total cost of $1.1 billion. Construction commenced in 2011, with the first five locations announced as the regional and rural communities surrounding [[Geraldton]], [[Toowoomba]], [[Tamworth, New South Wales|Tamworth]], [[Ballarat]] and [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]].<ref>{{citation|title=First communities for National Broadband Network fixed wireless service unveiled|date=3 August 2011|url=http://nbnco.com.au/news-and-events/news/first-communities-for-national-broadband-network-fixed-wireless-service-unveiled.html|publisher=[[NBN Co]]|access-date=4 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011234803/http://nbnco.com.au/news-and-events/news/first-communities-for-national-broadband-network-fixed-wireless-service-unveiled.html|archive-date=11 October 2011}}</ref> |
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The key benefit of the NBN fibre is higher bandwidth. However, Existing ADSL [[Bit rate]] lines provide well over 1.5 mbits which is sufficient for DVD quality video with modern CODECs as demonstrated by the ABC's IView system. It is difficult to determine how many people will pay a substantially higher cost if the only new application they receive is very high definition video. |
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NBN Co entered into an agreement worth up to $380 million with Silcar on {{nowrap|1 June}}. The agreement covered the construction of the NBN in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT by Silcar, a company joint-owned by [[Siemens]] and [[Thiess Pty Ltd|Thiess]]. The agreement includes the option of a two-year extension with an additional value of $740 million. |
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A further criticism is that key documents have not been released which makes it difficult for people outside the government to assess the proposal.<ref>{{cite news | title=Minchin is gaining on Conroy | url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/insight/communications/soa/Minchin-is-gaining-on-Conroy/0,139023754,339296518,00.htm?feed=pt_cost_benefit}}</ref> |
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NBN Co signed an agreement with Telstra on {{nowrap|23 June}} estimated to be worth $9 billion post-tax [[net present value]], building upon the signing of a financial [[Heads of Agreement (law)|heads of agreement]] a year beforehand. Telstra was not required to separate retail and wholesale operations, instead agreeing to disconnect its Internet customers from the copper and [[hybrid fibre-coaxial]] networks in areas where FTTP has been installed and agreed to lease [[dark fibre]], exchange space and ducts to NBN Co. Telstra would not be able to market their mobile network as an alternative to the NBN for a number of years. |
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A related criticism of the government and the ACCC is that in making competition an end in itself, rather than a means to an end they are being ideological. |
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NBN Co signed an agreement with Optus on {{nowrap|23 June}} estimated to be worth $800 million post-tax net present value over its hybrid fibre-coaxial network. |
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In November 2008, potential tenderers [[iiNet]] and [[Telstra]] criticised the government for a lack of certainty over the regulation of the new network.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tindal |first=Suzanne |title =NBN doomed to failure: iiNet |work=ZDNet Australia |date=2008-11-07 |url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/NBN-doomed-to-failure-iiNet/0,130061791,339293092,00.htm |accessdate=2008-11-18}}</ref> Corporate competition issues threatened the tender process, with Telstra insisting on assurances that the government will not force Telstra to separate the NBN from its retail operations in the future.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hewett |first=Jennifer |title=Tough Sol Trujillo has few regrets on Telstra |work=[[The Australian]] |date=2008-11-08 |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,24618408-5013565,00.html |accessdate=2008-11-18}}</ref> Following the failure of the RFP in 2009, both companies showed support for the Government's plan to build the network itself, with iiNet managing director Michael Malone stating that this was "like Christmas for Australian broadband consumers!"<ref>{{cite news |last=Warne |first=Dan |title=Internode "gobsmacked", iiNet welcomes FTTH network |work=[[APC (magazine)|APC]] |date=2009-04-07 |url=http://apcmag.com/internode-gobsmacked-iinet-welcomes-ftth-network.htm |accessdate=2009-04-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Telstra welcomes opportunity to engage Govt on broadband |work=[[Telstra|Now We Are Talking]] |date=2009-04-07 |url=http://www.nowwearetalking.com.au/news/telstra-welcomes-opportunity-to-engage-govt-on-broadband-205 |accessdate=2009-04-07}}</ref> |
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Following low take-up rates in Tasmania, the government adopted an opt-out model in which users are ''assumed'' to want the service unless they explicitly opt-out. Fourteen second-release sites comprising 54,000 premises in all states and territories were announced on {{nowrap|8 July 2010}} with construction commencing in August. |
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A subsequent announcement on September 14, 2009 that the Australian Government will force Telstra to separate its wholesale and retail operations, if successful, will enable Telstra's wholesale arm to play a bigger role in the NBN's rollout and mitigate the risks that Telstra would compete against the Government-owned corporation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Historic reforms to telecommunications regulation |work=[[Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy]] |date=2009-09-15 |url=http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/088 |accessdate=2009-04-15}}</ref> |
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Telstra allowed NBN Co to use its [[Telephone exchange|exchanges]] and ducts in the second release sites before agreement with Telstra was finalised. |
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Continued speculation has dogged the National Broadband Network tender process, despite this the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has stood firmly behind the 2007 election commitment.<ref>{{cite news |last=Salna |first=Karlis |title=Govt will deliver broadband plan: Conroy |work=[[The Age]] |date=2009-03-31 |url=http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/govt-will-deliver-broadband-plan-conroy-20090331-9hrw.html |accessdate=2009-03-31}}</ref> |
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====Interim satellite service==== |
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The then opposition leader [[Malcolm Turnbull]] claimed: "This makes the [[Gough Whitlam|Whitlam]] era look modest and unassuming".<ref>{{cite news |title=Do not swallow broadband line - Turnbull warns |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=2009-04-09 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/home/technology/dont-swallow-broadband-line-turnbull-warns/2009/04/08/1239222961590.html |accessdate=2009-04-09}}</ref> Turnbull has compared the project to the failed Sydney cross-city tunnel and said that this time Australian taxpayers are taking the risk and wearing the loss.<ref>[http://www.businessday.com.au/business/coalition-slams-broadband-plan-20091025-hera.html Coalition slams broadband plan]</ref> |
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NBN Co launched interim satellite services on {{nowrap|1 July}}, providing up to six [[megabits per second]].<ref name="interim-satellite-launch">{{citation|title=NBN Co launches Interim Satellite Service for rural and remote Australians|date=1 July 2011|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/media-releases/2011/nbn-co-launches-interim-satellite-service-final-1-jul-11.pdf|author=[[NBN Co]]|publisher=[[NBN Co]]|access-date=23 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708125510/http://nbnco.com.au/assets/media-releases/2011/NBN-Co-launches-Interim-Satellite-Service-FINAL-1-jul-11.pdf|archive-date=8 July 2011}}</ref> Due to the limited satellite capacity, these services were given to customers who did not have access to alternative "metro comparable" services, similar to the Federal Government's Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) program which ended on {{nowrap|30 June}}.<ref name="interim-satellite-launch" /> The criteria for alternative "metro comparable" services were minimum data speeds of at least 512 [[kilobits per second]], a 3 GB per month [[Bandwidth cap|data allowance]] and a total price to the end customer of no more than $2,500 over three years.<ref name="interim-limits">{{citation|title=NBN Co releases Interim Satellite eligibility criteria|date=26 May 2011|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/media-releases/2011/satellite-eligibility-final-26-may-11.pdf|author=[[NBN Co]]|publisher=[[NBN Co]]|access-date=23 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009212209/http://nbnco.com.au/assets/media-releases/2011/satellite-eligibility-final-26-may-11.pdf|archive-date=9 October 2011}}</ref> To provide these services NBN Co bought managed satellite services and satellite capacity from [[Optus]] for {{nowrap|$200 million}} and additional satellite capacity from IPstar<ref>IPStar Australia Pty Ltd is the Australian subsidiary of [[Thaicom (company)|Thaicom]], registered with the [[Australian Securities & Investments Commission]] from 9 December 2003 as an Australian Private Company.</ref> for $100 million.<ref>{{citation|last=Taylor|first=Josh|title=NBN awards $300m interim satellite tender|date=6 May 2011|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-awards-300m-interim-satellite-tender/|publisher=[[ZDNet]]|access-date=6 May 2011}}</ref> |
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Five areas comprising around 14,000 premises were chosen as the "first mainland sites", each representing rollout challenges the NBN expected to face during an Australia-wide rollout. The first services went live on 19 April 2011. |
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A web campaign has been set up against the plan, NoNBN.org. They claim the "high" monthly costs of the NBN will be out of reach for over 3.5 million Australians. They also question the "productivity" gains [[wiktionary:spruiked|spruiked]] by the Federal Government, as only HD video streams need more bandwidth, but cannot be considered more productive.<ref>http://www.nonbn.org/default.php</ref> |
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===2012=== |
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The topic is also hotly debated in the [[Whirlpool (website)|Whirlpool]] Forums. |
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[[Attorney-General of Australia|Attorney-General]] [[Nicola Roxon]] blocked [[Huawei]] from seeking a supply contract for the National Broadband Network, on the advice of the [[Australian Security Intelligence Organisation]].<ref> |
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{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-huawei-nbn-idUSBRE82P0GA20120326 |title=Australia blocks China's Huawei from broadband tender |work=[[Reuters]] |first=Maggie |last=Lu-YueYang |date=26 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623225308/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/26/us-australia-huawei-nbn-idUSBRE82P0GA20120326 |archive-date=23 June 2012 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} |
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</ref> The Australian government feared Huawei would provide backdoor access for [[Cyberwarfare by China|Chinese cyber espionage]].<ref> |
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{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12154552 |newspaper=[[New Zealand Herald]] |first=Chris |last=Keall |title=Aussie espionage report puts Huawei under more pressure |date=5 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108025857/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12154552 |archive-date=8 November 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} |
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</ref> |
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Significant attacks were made by the [[Coalition (Australia)|Liberal/National Coalition]] opposition leading up to the 2013 election. These focused on the estimated cost and timeline for implementation. The build cost had been a key point of debate. Turnbull and Abbott stated that they would take an "agnostic" approach.<ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/government-it/we-will-not-cancel-the-nbn-turnbull-20120629-217f3.html IT Pro, (29 June 2012), We will not cancel the NBN: Turnbull, ''Sydney Morning Herald'']. Retrieved 29 July 2017</ref> They argued that the demand for such a service was not significant,{{efn|Statements by Abbott and Turnbull on the need for broadband: |
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==== Alternative use of $43 billion ==== |
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* Turnbull stated that 12 Mbit/s would adequately address the need.<ref>{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213163742/http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/366022/12mbps_enough_all_applications_turnbull_-_updated/ |date=13 February 2017 }} Tim Lohman,(28 October 2010), 12 Mbps enough for all applications: Turnbull, ''Computerworld''</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101101024310/http://www.techworld.com.au/article/366204/never_say_enough_any_nbn_application Rodney Gedda, (29 October 2010), Never say 'that's enough' for any (NBN) application] ''Techworld Australia''</ref> |
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* Abbott argued a national LTE network could meet the need, with a tower on every street corner<ref>[https://www.crikey.com.au/2010/08/16/coalition-broadband-a-wireless-tower-in-every-street/ Stilgherrian, (16 August 2010), Coalition broadband: a wireless tower in every street] ''[[Crikey]]''</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2010/s2983210.htm Barrie Cassidy, (15 August 2010), Abbott defends Coalition's broadband plan] ''[[Insiders (Australian TV program)|Insiders]]''</ref>}} and thus that the estimated cost was too high and the timeline for implementation was too long. |
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===2013=== |
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There is constant argument in the Australian media to spend the $43 billion on critical infrastructure instead, such as [[healthcare]], [[transport]], [[education]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2893063.htm]</ref> |
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The Multi-Technology Mix (MTM) was selected as the approach to broadband provision by the [[Coalition (Australia)|Liberal–National coalition]] in the lead up to the [[2013 Australian federal election]]. That is, response to what the coalition stated to be excessive performance specifications and costs they moved from a model which previously focused on FTTP (fibre to the premises) to a multi-technology mix<ref>{{Cite web |last=Turnbull |first=Malcolm |title=NBN Co to roll out new multi-technology mix |url=http://www.minister.communications.gov.au/malcolm_turnbull/news/nbn_co_to_roll_out_new_multi-technology_mix#.WOA2xxJ963A}}</ref> model using [[Fiber to the x|FTTx]], including FTTP, FTTN (fibre to the node), FTTB (fibre to the building or basement) and most recently FTTdp (fibre to the distribution point); and [[Hybrid fibre-coaxial|HFC]] (hybrid fibre coaxial) in metropolitan areas. Regional and remote areas were mainly unchanged as a result of the strategic review and typically receive a service using either fixed wireless, using [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] technology, or [[Satellite Internet access|satellite]]. |
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After the 2013 election, the [[Abbott government]] announced immediate changes to the NBN: most of the NBN Co board was asked to resign; [[Ziggy Switkowski]] was appointed Chairman; and rollout was moved from FTTP to "alternative technologies" such as fibre to the node. The government limited the rollout of FTTP to those areas already in development. Later implementation of the Multi-Technological Mix (MTM) began with the promise of earlier completion and significant cost savings compared to the earlier approach. The predominant change was the adoption of a mixed copper-optical technology with fibre to the node (FTTN). Studies and a strategic review were commissioned.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/about-us/media/news/nbn-co-strategic-review.html|title=Expert consultants to assist with broadband review|author=NBN Co|date=2013-10-17|access-date=2013-11-12}}</ref>{{efn| |
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Reports and audit into the NBN commissioned by the Abbott government in 2013 |
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* {{cite web |url=https://www.communications.gov.au/publications/broadband-availability-and-quality-report |date=20 February 2014 |title=Broadband Availability and Quality Report}} |
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* {{cite web |first=Bill |last=Scales |date=7 March 2014 |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/02%20Parliamentary%20Business/22%20Chamber%20Documents/223%20Tabled%20Papers/Documents%20Presented/Out%20of%20session/040814_audit_report |title=''Independent audit of the NBN public policy process'' looking at the public policy processes that led to the establishment of the NBN in the period April 2008 – May 2010}} |
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* {{cite web|url=https://www.communications.gov.au/departmental-news/independent-audit-nbn-public-policy-process |title=Media Release: Independent audit of the NBN public policy process |date=7 March 2014 |publisher=Department of Communications and the Arts |access-date=10 March 2016}} |
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* Independent cost‐benefit analysis of broadband and review of regulation |
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** {{cite web |url=https://www.communications.gov.au/file/3881/download?token=ixQy8QbB |date=26 Jun 2015 |title=Volume I – National Broadband Network Market and Regulatory Report}} |
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** {{cite web |url=https://www.communications.gov.au/sites/g/files/net301/f/Cost-Benefit_Analysis_-_FINAL_-_For_Publication.pdf |date=27 August 2014 |title=Volume II –The costs and benefits of high-speed broadband}} }} |
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As of 3 November 2013, construction of the network had passed 354,793 premises and 109,862 customer services were active.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/weekly-rollout-metrics-3-Nov-2013.pdf|title=Weekly rollout metrics 3rd November 2013|author=NBN Co|date=2013-11-03|access-date=2013-11-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112062631/http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/weekly-rollout-metrics-3-Nov-2013.pdf|archive-date=12 November 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In areas where the FTTP network was rolled out, a similar agreement with [[Optus]] was in place. |
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Following the election of the [[Abbott government]], NBN Co reassessed financial forecasts and progress of the NBN roll-out and published a strategic review in December 2013. On 12 December, the NBN Co board appointed [[Bill Morrow (executive)|Bill Morrow]] as NBN Co's new CEO, replacing Quigley. Telstra asserted its intention to retain the $11bn value it generates from the previous government's deal. |
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Delays occurred when work was stopped for several weeks on sites where [[asbestos]] was found in Telstra pits. Turnbull announced the MTM approach promising significant savings and earlier completion. The MTM added fibre to the node (FTTN) as the preferred technology; and kept hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) (previously planned to be shut down). |
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===2014=== |
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In April 2014, ''[[The Australian]]'' newspaper judged the Tasmania rollout as shambolic and abysmal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/technology/rollout-shambles-in-nbns-first-state/story-e6frgakx-1226896452411|title=Subscribe - theaustralian|work=TheAustralian.com.au|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> The final MTM approach was finalised. Initial costs and timing for the Coalition NBN were $29.5 billion of public funding to construct by 2019. |
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In May NBN announced that it would be targeting premises that were already serviced with fibre by rival TPG.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/05/05/nbn_co_puts_october_date_on_first_fttb_connections/|title=NBN Co puts October date on first FTTB connections|date=5 May 2014|first=Richard|last=Chirgwin|work=TheRegister.co.uk|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> |
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===2015=== |
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Quigley publicly attacked the NBN and the MTM, noting cost blowouts and delays that he said were the fault of changes made by the Coalition government.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/6907464/data/mike-quigley-article-data.pdf Mike Quigley, (September 2015) Exploding Malcolm Turnbull's Myths, ABC] Retrieved 10 March 2016</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/ex-nbn-boss-pins-cost-blowout-on-coalition/6905082|title=Ex-NBN boss pins cost blowout on Coalition|date=2 November 2015|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/11/02/quigley_ends_his_silence_unloads_on_government/|title=Former nbn CEO Mike Quigley ends his silence, unloads on government|date=2 November 2015|work=The Register}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://delimiter.com.au/2015/11/02/turnbulls-nbn-blowout-caused-by-mtm-says-quigley/|title=Turnbull's NBN blowout caused by MTM, says Quigley|date=2 November 2015|work=Delimiter.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://delimiter.com.au/2015/11/02/go-back-to-retirement-nbn-chief-pr-tells-quigley/|title=Go back to retirement, NBN PR chief tells Quigley|date=2 November 2015|work=Delimiter.com.au}}{{dead link|date=February 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>[https://delimiter.com.au/2015/11/05/quigley-releases-detailed-evidence-showing-mtm-nbn-cost-blowout/ Renai LeMay, (5 November 2015), Quigley releases detailed evidence showing MTM NBN cost blowout, ''Delimiter''] Retrieved 11 March 2013</ref> |
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As of 30 June, 1,011,973 premises were able to order services, 571,527 brown fields. 180,796 greenfields premises were able to order fixed-line services, 220,917 fixed wireless, and 38,743 interim satellite service.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.itnews.com.au/News/404779,nbn-hits-million-premises-mark.aspx|title=NBN hits million premises mark|author=iTnews.com.au|date=2015-06-03|access-date=2015-06-03}}</ref> 485,615 users were active.<ref name="itnews2016">[http://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-passes-one-million-active-users-on-the-network-433900 Allie Coyne, (16 Aug 2016), NBN passes one million active users on the network, ''iTnews ''] Retrieved 16 August 2016</ref> As of 31 March, 64,102 premises of the 722,031 premises passed were classed as being "service class zero"—"the Service Class that applies to a Premises that is not NBN Serviceable for the purposes of the NFAS but is in the footprint of the NBN Co Fibre Network."<ref name="ReferenceB">[http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/nbnco-rollout-metrics-11062015.pdf National Broadband Network – Rollout Information]</ref> |
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===2016=== |
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Turnbull became Prime Minister and [[Mitch Fifield]] became the Minister for Communications. |
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At 30 June, NBN Co had passed 2,893,474 premises across all technologies.<ref name="nbnco.com.au1">[http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/nbn-financial-results-FY2016.pdf Full Year Results 2016]</ref> Company annual revenue was $421 million compared to $164 million in 2015 financial year, with approximately 1,100,000 active user at 30 June.<ref name="itnews2016" /> |
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NBN Co found no significant demand for wired connections above 25 Mbit/s (despite public surveys indicating otherwise)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-21/election-2016-nbn-internet-speeds-vote-compass/7526334|title=Majority of Australians want faster NBN, even if it costs more|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=21 June 2016}}</ref> and upgrading the network would not be considered until demand for high-bandwidth services was proven.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/business/gigabit-per-second-speeds-arent-needed-yet-nbn-co-boss-bill-morrow-says-20170228-gunlkt.html Lucy Battersby, 1 March 2017 Gigabit per second speeds aren't needed yet, NBN Co boss Bill Morrow says, ''The Age'']. Retrieved 1 March 2017</ref> |
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===2017=== |
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A 2017 report by the Joint Standing Committee on NBN found significant technology issues and company performance. All but one of the Coalition members of the committee released a dissenting report strongly defending the NBN and NBN Co.<ref name="2017_report">[http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/Committees/nbn_ctte/first_report/report.pdf Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network, (29 September 2017), First report of the 45th Parliament: The rollout of the National Broadband Network], {{ISBN|978-1-76010-655-3}}. Retrieved 29 September 2017</ref><ref name="itnews_2017_report">[https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-inquiry-demands-drastic-refocus-of-broadband-project-474418 Ry Crozier, (29 September 2017), NBN inquiry demands drastic refocus of broadband project: But government unlikely to agree, ''itnews'']. Retrieved 29 September 2017</ref><ref name="nbn_review_broadbent">[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/02/nationals-mp-andrew-broad-bemoans-rollout-of-faceless-nbn Amy Remeikis, (2 October 2017), Nationals MP Andrew Broad bemoans rollout of 'faceless' NBN, ''The Guardian'']. Retrieved 3 October 2017</ref> |
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In 2017, Morrow wrote a public blog post arguing that the New Zealand program [[Ultra-Fast Broadband]] operated in a different policy setting, with Telecom New Zealand separated into Chorus (wholesale) and Spark (retail).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/australia-and-new-zealand-broadband-comparing-apples-with-oranges.html|title=Australia & New Zealand broadband: Comparing apples with oranges… - nbn - Australia's new broadband access network|website=www.nbnco.com.au}}</ref> On 23 October, Turnbull said, "The NBN was a calamitous train wreck of a project when we came into government in 2013," and argued that the NBN might never make a profit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-23/nbn-malcolm-turnbull-labor-to-blame-for-calamitous-train-wreck/9076324|title=Malcolm Turnbull blames Labor for 'train wreck' that is the NBN|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=23 October 2017}}</ref> |
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Turnbull commented on New Zealand's program "They basically ensured the incumbent telco, the Telstra equivalent, split its network operations away from its retail operations. And then that network company in effect became the NBN. The virtue of that was you actually had a business that knew what it was doing, that was up and running, that had 100 years of experience getting on with the job." |
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Morrow admitted that 15% of end users receive poor service through NBN and are "seriously dissatisfied".<ref>[http://www.afr.com/business/telecommunications/nbn-to-review-pricing-as-part-of-image-problem-fix-20170724-gxhk0q Michael Smith & Tony Boyd, (24 July 2017), NBN to review pricing as part of image problem fix, ''Australian Financial Review'']. Retrieved 25 July 2017</ref> In addition, Morrow indicated that in July, prices and performance for end users were suppressed through a "price war" between RSPs.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/nbn-embarks-on-charm-offensive-to-address-confusion-and-complaints/news-story/07b17fc3b8563ccf706fafa2e2f7db87 Nick Whigham, (28 July 2017), NBN embarks on charm offensive to address confusion and complaints, ''news.com.au'']. Retrieved 29 July 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-boss-declares-war-with-internet-providers-469724 Ry Crozier, (31 July 2017), NBN Co boss declares war with internet providers: Blames ISPs for performance problems, ''ITNews'']. Retrieved 31 July 2017</ref> However, despite this comment, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman released its annual reporting showing a 159% increase in NBN complaints with nearly 40% of NBN customers dissatisfied.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/australian-broadband-complaints-surge-64-per-cent-tio-says-and-nbn-complaints-more-than-double/news-story/f2033805821cb84975a51cb42c05d67f|title=Australians increasingly frustrated with bad broadband services}}</ref> |
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In response to the imminent broadcast of a critical documentary, Turnbull stated that NBN was a failure, but blaming the earlier [[Rudd government (2007–10)|Rudd]] and [[Gillard government]]s.<ref name="train_wreck">[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-23/nbn-malcolm-turnbull-labor-to-blame-for-calamitous-train-wreck/9076324 Jesse Dorsett, (24 October 2017), NBN Co is a 'calamitous train wreck' that may never make a profit, Malcolm Turnbull says, laying blame with Labor, ''ABC News'']. Retrieved 27 October 2017</ref><ref name="BBC">[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-41577003 Trevor Marshallsea How Australia's A$49bn internet network came to be ridiculed, BBC]. Retrieved 27 October 2017</ref> The documentary noted significant issues with the rollout and complaints regarding performance of the NBN.<ref name="Four_Corners">[http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/whats-wrong-with-the-nbn/9077900 Geoff Thompson and presented by Sarah Ferguson, (23 Oct 2017), What's wrong with the NBN?], ''[[Four Corners]]''. Retrieved 27 October 2017</ref> Following the Prime Minister's acknowledgment of the NBN's failure, Rudd noted that, on assuming government in 2013, Turnbull, as Minister for Communications in the Abbott government, radically changed the network's technical aspects.<ref name="Rudd_4C">[https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/10/you-changed-horse-in-mid-stream-kevin-rudd-on-turnbulls-nbn/ Campbell Simpson, (24 October 2017), 'You Changed Horse In Mid-Stream': Kevin Rudd On Turnbull's NBN, ''Lifehacker'']. Retrieved 27 October 2017</ref> |
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The ACCC began an inquiry into the NBN in November 2017, to investigate whether regulation was needed to improve outcomes for consumers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.accc.gov.au/regulated-infrastructure/communications/national-broadband-network-nbn/nbn-wholesale-service-standards-inquiry|title=NBN wholesale service standards inquiry|date=2 November 2017|website=Australian Competition and Consumer Commission|language=en|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref> In November 2017 NBN Co temporarily suspended the rollout of its HFC network due to performance issues,<ref>Jennifer Duke, [https://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/nbn-chief-bill-morrow-says-six-to-ninemonth-delay-for-those-yet-to-connect-to-hfc-network-20171127-gztg46.html NBN halts HFC network rollout to address performance issues], ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 27 November 2017.</ref> costing Telstra close to $600 million AUD of its 2018 profits. |
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===2018=== |
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In February 2018, Turnbull was criticised for connecting [[The Lodge (Australia)|The Lodge]] to the NBN using FTTC technology while neighbours had FTTN, and for having a 100 Mbit/s plan, when he had previously stated that most Australians would not need those speeds.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-27/nbn-malcolm-turnbull-the-lodge-neighbours-not-so-lucky/9490464|title=Malcolm Turnbull has won the NBN lotto — but his neighbours aren't so lucky|date=27 February 2018|work=ABC News|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/turnbull-signs-up-to-100mbps-nbn-plan-485944|title=Turnbull signs up to 100Mbps NBN plan|work=iTnews|access-date=27 February 2018}}</ref> During the South Australia state election, Jay Weatherill promised funding for an alternative network for Adelaide if re-elected.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/nbn-faces-irrelevance-in-cities-as-competitors-build-faster-cheaper-alternatives-92275|title=NBN faces irrelevance in cities as competitors build faster, cheaper alternatives|last1=Asher|first1=Allan|website=[[The Conversation Australia]]|date=27 February 2018 |language=en|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref> |
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===2019=== |
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In April 2019, the ACCC released a report stating that consumers were paying more for basic internet access under the NBN than they were for ADSL plans under the same speeds. Mark Gregory of [[RMIT University]] estimated that to return the NBN to all-fibre similar to the initial plan would cost between $16 billion and $20 billion over five to ten years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Isabelle |date=2019-04-09 |title=NBN 'obsolete': How Australia became a 'third-world broadband country'" |url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2019/04/09/nbn-accc-slow-speeds/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=The New Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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NBN Co's chief executive Stephen Rue announced in August 2019 that the $51 billion project would be completed within budget by June 2020. At the time of the announcement, the network was 85% complete.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-15/nbn-co-chief-says-better-times-ahead/11415256|title=NBN will be complete by mid-2020 within revised budget, says CEO Stephen Rue|publisher=ABC News|date=15 August 2019|access-date=12 February 2020}}</ref> |
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In December 2019, [[Speedtest.net]] ranked Australia 68th globally in terms of internet speed, a decline of three places from the year before and the fourth-slowest in the [[OECD]], while being under the global average.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Isabelle |date=2020-01-28 |title='Embarrassingly slow': Australia has fourth slowest broadband in the OECD |url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2020/01/28/broadband-speeds-australia-oecd/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=The New Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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===2020=== |
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In February 2020, Rue announced that the network was 90% complete. He also reaffirmed his August 2019 announcement that the project would be completed within budget by June 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-11/nbn-on-track-and-on-budget-says-ceo-stephen-rue/11953694|title=NBN Co posts half-year loss but CEO Stephen Rue says project near completion and on budget|publisher=ABC News|date=11 February 2020|access-date=12 February 2020}}</ref> |
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In September 2020, the Coalition announced a $4.5 billion upgrade to the NBN, planning to bring faster internet speeds to up to 8 million people, a move seen as a backflip from the Liberals after campaigning for seven years against Labor's original NBN's plan consisting of FTTP.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kevin Rudd lashes out at Morrison over NBN plan|url=https://www.9news.com.au/world/kevin-rudd-on-scott-morrison-nbn/4e40ca62-55fb-4a99-9c77-1fdaa350c1d4|access-date=2020-09-23|website=9news.com.au|date=23 September 2020 }}</ref> |
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==Infrastructure== |
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[[File:NBN pit cover.jpg|thumb|A concrete pit cover for an underground NBN service]] |
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===Point of interconnect (POI)=== |
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[[File:National Broadband Network.svg|thumb|Diagram showing how retail service providers and wholesalers connect to the NBN]] |
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Networks managed by individual RSPs connect to the main NBN infrastructure through '''points of interconnect''' (POIs).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/what-is-a-poi-how-and-where-your-provider-connects-to-the-nbn-network |website=NBN Co |title=What is a POI? How and where your provider connects to the nbn network |date=9 June 2017 |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> There are 121 POIs across the country, housed inside [[Telstra]]-owned telephone exchanges.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Listed%20Points%20of%20Interconnection%20to%20the%20National%20Broadband%20Network.pdf |publisher=Australian Competition and Consumer Commission |date=2 November 2012 |title=Listed Points of Interconnection - NBN Corporation |access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref> Not all exchanges contain POIs{{snd}}data which reaches a non-POI exchange is transmitted to the closest POI through the NBN ''transit network''. POIs provide [[Data link layer|Layer 2]] network access to the [[Backhaul (telecommunications)|backhaul networks]] managed by RSPs, thus they act as a "handover point" between NBN and RSP infrastructure.<ref name="accc-pois" /><ref name="nbn-plan-p30-31">{{cite web |title=Corporate Plan 2011–2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |date=15 December 2010 |publisher=[[NBN Co]] |pages=30–31 |access-date=1 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 }}</ref> |
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===Network termination device (NTD)=== |
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{{main|Network Termination Device (NBN)}} |
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[[File:Fixed-wireless-NTD.jpeg|thumb|Network Termination Device for fixed wireless]] |
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A '''network termination device''' (NTD) is a customer-side [[network interface device]] which provides multiple [[Network bridge|bridges]] for customers to access the NBN. There are different types of NTDs for the various technologies. All connection types but FTTN use NTDs on premises. Depending on the kind of link, NTDs typically provide two telephony and four data channels.<ref name="residential">{{cite web |title=Residential preparation and installation: Single Dwelling Units (SDUs) and Multi Dwelling Units (MDUs) |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/preparation-and-installation-guide-for-sdus-and-mdus.pdf |date=12 December 2016 |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> An external power source is required, and an [[uninterruptible power supply]] (UPS) can be used to maintain connection in power outages (battery backups are available for the FTTP NTD). FTTC requires power to be provided from the premises to the kerb (distribution point). |
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NTDs provide [[user–network interface]] (UNI) connections for connection of in-premises devices, typically though multiple [[modular jack]]s. The NTD cannot be used as a [[Network layer|Layer 3]] [[Router (computing)|router]] for in-premises networking. |
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==NBN technologies== |
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{{See also|Fibre to the x|Hybrid fibre-coaxial}} |
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[[File:FTTX.svg|thumb|300px|right|A schematic (not to scale) illustrating how [[Fiber to the x|FTTx]] architectures vary with regard to the distance between the optical fibre and the end-user. The building on the left is the [[telephone exchange]]; the buildings on the right are served by the exchange. Dotted rectangles represent separate living or business spaces within the same building.]] |
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The NBN network includes a range of connection technologies for both [[wired communication]] (copper, fibre optic, and hybrid fibre-coaxial) and [[radiocommunication service|radio communication]] (satellite and fixed wireless). RSPs connect to these networks at ''points of interconnect'' {{see below|Points of Interconnect}}. Access to [[Mobile telephony|mobile telecommunication]] [[Backhaul (telecommunications)|backhauls]] is also sold to mobile telecommunications providers.<ref>[http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/613689/vodafone-first-telco-use-nbn-mobile-coverage-boost/ Rohan Pearce, (3 February 2017), Vodafone first telco to use NBN for mobile coverage boost, ''Computerworld'']. Retrieved 9 March 2017</ref> |
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Detailed network design rules as required by the Special Access Undertaking agreed by NBN Co and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission were released on 19 December 2011,<ref>[http://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/NBN%20Co%20Network%20Design%20Rules%20%28public%20version%29%20%2819%20December%202011%29.pdf (19 December 2011), NBN Co Network Design Rules provided to the ACCC in support of NBN Co's Special Access Undertaking in respect of the NBN Access Service, NBN Co Limited]. Retrieved 4 March 2016</ref> with updates on 18 September 2012,<ref>[http://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/NBN%20Co%20Network%20Design%20Rules.pdf (18 September 2012), NBN Co Network Design Rules provided to the ACCC in support of NBN Co's Special Access Undertaking, NBN Co Limited]. Retrieved 4 March 2016</ref> 30 June 2016<ref>[http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/network-design-rules.pdf (30 June 2016), Network Design Rules Provided to the ACCC pursuant to and for the purposes of NBN Co Limited's Special Access Undertaking, NBN Co Limited]. Retrieved 4 March 2016</ref> and 30 June 2017.<ref>[https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/network-design-rules.pdf (30 June 2017), Network Design Rules Provided to the ACCC pursuant to and for the purposes of NBN Co Limited's Special Access Undertaking, NBN Co Limited]. Retrieved 3 Jan 2018</ref> |
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The NBN "Multi Technology Mix" (MTM) consists of the following network technologies: |
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*Wired: |
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**'''Fibre to the building (FTTB)'''{{snd}}Used for multi-dwelling units and apartment blocks. Equivalent to FTTN, with the "node" located inside the building's communications room.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/nbn-technology-101-what-is-fttb |title=nbn technology 101: What is FTTB? |date=28 April 2017 |access-date=21 August 2019 |publisher=NBN Co}}</ref> Also known as ''fibre to the basement''. |
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**'''Fibre to the curb (FTTC)'''{{snd}}Previously called fibre to the distribution point (FTTdp). Fibre connection to a communications pit on the street, then copper to the premises. Replacing Optus HFC from 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/media-centre/media-statements/nbn-pushes-fibre-to-the-curb-for-up-to-700000-homes-and-businesses |title=nbn pushes fibre to the curb for up to 700,000 homes and businesses |date=28 September 2016 |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> Also known as ''fibre to the pit''. |
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**'''Fibre to the node (FTTN)'''{{snd}}A mix of copper and fibre optic technology, providing most NBN connections. Minimum speed of 25 Mbit/s. |
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**'''Fibre to the premises (FTTP)'''{{snd}}Fibre optic connection using a gigabit [[passive optical network]]. Available for greenfield development. |
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**'''Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC)'''{{snd}}Uses a mix of fibre optic and [[CATV]] technology largely built on Telstra's HFC network |
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*Wireless: |
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**'''Fixed wireless''' |
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**'''Satellite'''{{snd}}Sky Muster telecommunications satellites |
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In all technologies, voice services may be provided through [[Voice over IP]] with a suitable modem. FTTN and FTTP connections support direct connection of an analog telephone. |
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===Fibre to the curb (FTTC)=== |
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Previously known as ''fibre to the distribution point'' (FTTdp).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/what-is-fttc-our-latest-network-technology.html|title=Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC): Our latest network technology |author=Tony Brown |website=NBN Co. |type=Blog |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> |
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Customers access the FTTC network through copper connections using existing phone plugs.{{efn|name="plugs"}} An NBN-provided mains-powered FTTC connection device provides one Ethernet port for connection to a router. |
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FTTC is typically used where an optical fibre cable is already close to each home or business. It is connected to the existing copper lines via a small ''distribution point unit'' (DPU) located near the property boundary inside a pit on the street. Each DPU can service up to four connections. The DPU is powered through an NBN-provided mains-powered FTTC connection device (a type of NTD) in each connected premises.<ref>{{cite web|title=FTTdP could provide a vital new tool for building the NBN network|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/fttdp-could-provide-a-vital-new-tool-for-building-the-nbn-network.html|website=NBN Blog|access-date=28 September 2016|orig-date=21 March 2016 |date=31 May 2016}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nbnco.com.au/learn-about-the-nbn/network-technology/fibre-to-the-curb-explained-fttc.html nbn Fibre to the Curb (FTTC)]. Accessed 4 March 2018</ref> |
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===Fibre to the node (FTTN)=== |
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[[File:Fibre to the node cabinet located on Pugsley Ave, Estella.jpg|thumb|upright|An NBN fibre-to-the-node cabinet, located near a distribution area pillar]] |
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Existing copper connections are maintained with existing plugs being used.{{efn|name="plugs"|Plugs may be either [[600 series connector|600 series]] or UNI-D (RJ45, properly 8P8C).}} The end-user accesses the network using a [[Very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line#VDSL2|VDSL2]] modem, typically purchased from an RSP. |
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The FTTN network consists of optical fibre from the exchange to a node and a run of copper from the node to the existing distribution area (DA) pillars. A copper pair then runs to each premises. Each node can serve up to 384 homes.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}} |
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===Fibre to the premises (FTTP)=== |
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[[File:FTTP network design for the NBN.svg|thumb|Diagram of the NBN FTTP network]] |
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Fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) connects customers using [[Ethernet]] over a gigabit [[passive optical network]] (GPON) from the POI to the premises, giving a peak speed of one gigabit per second.<ref name="gigabit-speed-abc">{{cite news |first=Emma |last=Rodgers |title=Big gig: NBN to be 10 times faster |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/12/2980752.htm |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=12 August 2010 |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="NBN Co plan p62">{{citation |title=Corporate Plan 2011–2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |author=NBN Co |date=15 December 2010 |publisher=[[NBN Co]] |page=62 |access-date=1 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Initially the preferred technological solution, it is an option for [[Greenfield land|greenfield]] development with limited use for new or replacement connections. |
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In customer premises, the NTD provides user-network interface connections through [[registered jack]] sockets for voice (UNI-V, RJ11) and [[Modular connector|modular jacks]] for data (UNI-D, RJ45). Voice services can be provided through either UNI-V (which provides for support for emulated Plain Old Telephone Services or POTS),{{clarify|date=August 2019}} or UNI-D jack (through [[Voice over IP]] through data jacks). UNI-V services are also VoIP - the UNI-V port the user interface to a VoIP ATA inside the NTD, which avoids the need for the RSP or user to provide their own VoIP hardware. Configuration of the UNI-V ATA is managed by the RSP via NBN systems. |
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Data networking in the premises requires a [[Router (computing)|router]] and/or [[wireless access point]]. |
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====Network structure==== |
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[[File:NBN Fibre Distribution Hub (FDH) located in Boorooma.jpg|thumb|upright|NBN fibre distribution hub (FDH)]] |
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A "drop fibre" [[Fiber-optic communication|fibre-optic]] cable runs from the premises to a "local network" which links a number of premises to a splitter in a fibre distribution hub.<ref name="joint-committee-16/5/11-p2-3"/> A "distribution fibre"<ref name="nbn-plan-p152">{{citation |title=Corporate Plan 2011–2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |author=NBN Co |date=15 December 2010 |publisher=[[NBN Co]] |page=152 |access-date=24 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> cable connects the splitter in the distribution hub to a ''fibre access node'' (FAN), which is connected to a POI.<ref name="joint-committee-16/5/11-p2-3">{{citation |author=[[Hansard]] |date=16 May 2011 |title=Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/joint/commttee/j32.pdf |access-date=31 May 2011 |pages=2–3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604051316/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/joint/commttee/J32.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Only the fibre access nodes and the equipment on premises require a power supply.<ref name="nbn-plan-p73">{{citation |title=Corporate Plan 2011–2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |author=NBN Co |date=15 December 2010 |publisher=[[NBN Co]] |page=73 |access-date=22 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="joint-committee-16/5/11-p18-19">{{citation |author=[[Hansard]] |date=16 May 2011 |title=Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/joint/commttee/j32.pdf |access-date=31 May 2011 |pages=18–19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604051316/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/joint/commttee/J32.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> |
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The FTTP network is divided into a number of geographical modules.<ref name="nbn-plan-p79">{{citation |title=Corporate Plan 2011–2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |author=NBN Co |date=15 December 2010 |publisher=[[NBN Co]] |page=79 |access-date=24 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> A '''fibre distribution area''' includes up to 576 premises linked through a fibre distribution hub. A '''fibre serving area module''' comprises 16 fibre distribution areas, which services up to approximately 9,200 premises.<ref name="nbn-plan-p79"/> A '''fibre serving area''' comprises 12 fibre serving area modules connected to a fibre access node, which services up to 110,400 premises. NBN Co planned to build or lease approximately 980 fibre serving areas, servicing up to 37,632,000 premises.<ref name="nbn-plan-p79"/> Although this figure will continue to change over team as greenfields areas served by FTTP are created, and formerly FTTN and FTTC areas are converted to FTTP. |
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===Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC)=== |
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[[Hybrid fibre-coaxial]] is a legacy technology purchased by NBN Co from [[Telstra]]<ref>[https://www.itnews.com.au/news/telstra-hands-over-copper-hfc-in-new-11bn-nbn-deal-398793 Allie Coyne, (14 December 2014), Telstra hands over copper, HFC in new $11bn NBN deal, ''itnews'']. Retrieved 7 February 2017</ref> and [[Optus]]. The Telstra HFC network is being maintained{{snd}}it was found that the Optus HFC network was uneconomic to bring up to an acceptable standard, with these connections now to be provided by FTTC.<ref>[https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-is-ditching-optus-hfc-for-fttdp-438398 Allie Coyne, (28 September 2016) NBN Co dumps Optus HFC for FTTdp, ''itnews'']. Retrieved 7 February 2017</ref> |
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HFC connections use a DOCSIS cable modem as their NTD. The upgrade path for Telstra HFC-connected premises is DOCSIS 3.1. |
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===Fixed wireless=== |
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2,600 transmission towers connected by microwave and optical fibre to exchanges will use TD-LTE 4G mobile broadband technology to cover around 500,000 premises in rural areas. The premises in the fixed wireless area were to be fitted with a roof-mounted antenna allowing a connection to a wireless base station. NBN Co provides a modem with four UNI-D ports. Telephone connections are by VOIP. Where a copper connection is available users requiring connections during electrical power outages are encouraged to keep that. |
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====Network structure==== |
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[[File:NBN-Fixed-Wireless-ODU.jpg|thumb|External antenna (ODU) for fixed wireless]] |
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A [[4G]] LTE fixed wireless network<ref name="ericsson-deal-itwire">{{citation|last=Corner|first=Stuart|title=Ericsson scores NBN Co wireless contract, with $1.1b potential|date=1 June 2011|url=http://www.itwire.com/it-industry-news/deals/47543-ericsson-scores-nbn-co-wireless-contract-with-11b-potential|publisher=[[iTWire]]|access-date=17 June 2011}}</ref> was to link premises to a base station in turn linked to a POI via a [[backhaul (telecommunications)|backhaul]].<ref>{{citation |title=Corporate Plan 2011–2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |author=NBN Co |date=15 December 2010 |publisher=[[NBN Co]] |page=95 |access-date=1 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="design">{{citation |first=Josh |last=Taylor |title=NBN Co calls for design feedback |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=18 August 2010 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-co-calls-for-design-feedback/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> During 2023 and 2024 this network is evolving to using 5G point-to-point radio links for increased service bandwidth. |
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The {{nowrap|2.3 [[GHz]]}} and {{nowrap|3.4 GHz}} [[Frequency spectrum|spectrums]]<ref name="Australian Associated Press">{{citation |author=[[Australian Associated Press]] |title=Austar soars on NBN spectrum deal |publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=17 February 2011 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/austar-soars-on-nbn-spectrum-deal-20110217-1ax6y.html |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> were to be used to deliver these fixed wireless services covering approximately 4 per cent of the non-fibre population.<ref name="ericsson-deal-itwire"/> Unlike the mobile networks, only premises can connect to NBN's fixed wireless network.<ref name="LeMay">{{citation |first=Renai |last=LeMay |title=NBN Co now a wireless play: Slattery |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=9 September 2010 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-co-now-a-wireless-play-slattery/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> |
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2,600 transmission towers connected by optical fibre to exchanges will provide TD-LTE 4G mobile broadband technology to cover around 500,000 premises. The number of premises assigned to each base station was to be limited<ref name="joint-committee-16/5/11-p3"/> to ensure users received "good service" with adequate [[throughput]].<ref name="joint-committee-16/5/11-p3">{{citation |author=[[Hansard]] |date=16 May 2011 |title=Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/joint/commttee/j32.pdf |access-date=31 May 2011 |page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604051316/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/joint/commttee/J32.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Users at the edge of the coverage for each base station were to receive a peak speed of 12 megabits per second. The speed increases "considerably" closer to the base station.<ref name="estimates-22/2/11-p26">{{citation |author=[[Hansard]] |date=22 February 2011 |title=Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Estimates |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/commttee/S13569.pdf |access-date=19 June 2011 |page=26}}</ref> |
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===Satellite service=== |
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{{main|Sky Muster}} |
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Two Sky Muster satellites<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-01/sky-muster-launches-amid-concerns-internet-speeds-overpromised/6817998 Matthew Doran, Dan Conifer, Francis Keany and Anna Henderson, (1 October 2015), Sky Muster: Rocket carrying NBN satellite launches amid concerns internet speeds overpromised, ABC News] Retrieved 10 March 2016</ref> provide NBN services to locations outside the reach of other technologies, including [[Christmas Island]], [[Lord Howe Island|Lord Howe]] and [[Norfolk Island]]s. |
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A [[satellite dish]] is installed on the premises with NBN Co providing an NTD with four UNI-D ports. Where a copper connection is available users requiring connections during electrical power outages are encouraged to keep that. |
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====Sky Muster satellite network==== |
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NBN Co contracted [[Space Systems/Loral]] to build and launch two geostationary [[Ka band|K<sub>a</sub> band]] satellites in 2015 at a total cost of {{nowrap|A$2 billion}},<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/414726/nbn_co_space_systems_loral_team_up_communications_satellites/|title=NBN Co and Space Systems/Loral team up for communications satellites|work=computerworld.com.au|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> each offering eighty gigabits per second of bandwidth.<ref name="satellite-plans-cw"/><ref name="sat-op-australian"/> The first satellite called [[Sky Muster]] ('''NBN-Co 1A''') was launched on 1 October 2015.<ref name="Biggs">{{Cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/nbns-first-satellite-sky-muster-launches-successfully-into-orbit-20150930-gjymxv.html|title=NBN's first satellite, Sky Muster, launches successfully into orbit|author=Tim Biggs |access-date=2 October 2015|date=1 October 2015 |work=Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media}}</ref> |
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Each K<sub>a</sub> band satellite offers eighty gigabits per second of bandwidth.<ref name="joint-committee-16/5/11-p3"/><ref name="satellite-plans-cw">{{citation |first=James |last=Hutchinson |title=NBN Co seeks solid satellite speeds |publisher=[[Computerworld]] |date=30 March 2011 |url=http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/381517/nbn_co_seeks_solid_satellite_speeds/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="sat-op-australian">{{citation |first=Mitchell |last=Bingemann |title=Satellite operators shortlisted for national broadband network |publisher=[[The Australian]] |date=1 June 2010 |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/satellite-operated-shortlisted-for-national-broadband-network/story-e6frgakx-1225873722807 |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> The satellites bounce signals from a [[satellite dish]] on the premises to an [[earth station]], known as a "gateway"; the gateway is then connected to a POI via a fibre backhaul.<ref name="design"/><ref>{{citation |title=Corporate Plan 2011–2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |author=NBN Co |date=15 December 2010 |publisher=[[NBN Co]] |page=96 |access-date=1 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323023742/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The satellite design was "not easy", because the required coverage is about "five per cent of the world's land mass" containing "at least 200,000 premises" spread across "over 7,000 kilometres" of area between [[Cocos Islands]] and [[Norfolk Island]].<ref name="joint-committee-16/5/11-p3"/> |
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'''Sky Muster I''' ('''NBN-Co 1A''') was launched on 1 October 2015<ref name="Biggs"/> from the [[Guiana Space Centre]] in [[French Guiana]], [[South America]], alongside Argentina's [[ARSAT-2]], on an [[Ariane 5|Ariane 5ECA]] rocket. It became operational in April 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/04/nbn-has-launched-its-sky-muster-broadband-service-for-regional-areas/|title=NBN Has Launched Its Sky Muster Broadband Service For Regional Areas|work=gizmodo.com.au}}</ref> |
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'''Sky Muster II''' ('''NBN-Co 1B''') was launched on 5 October 2016 to operate in geostationary orbit of [[145th meridian east|145° East]].<ref name=10facts>{{cite news|last1=Francis|first1=Hannah|title=Ten cool facts about NBN's forthcoming Sky Muster satellite service|url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/ten-cool-facts-about-nbns-forthcoming-sky-muster-satellite-service-20160202-gmjpow.html|access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/10/06/liftoff-second-nbn-satellite-after-delay|title=Liftoff for second NBN satellite after delay|work=sbs.com.au}}</ref> |
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===Technology Choice Program=== |
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The "Technology Choice Program" provides the option for areas and users to upgrade the technology of their connection (all except HFC connections).<ref>[http://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/technology-choice-program.html NBN ''Technology Choice Program'']</ref><ref>[http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/technology-choice-program/nbn-technology-choice-policy.pdf nbn ''Technology Choice Policy'' revision no. 4, (3 May 2017), nbn, Document number BMS004306]. Retrieved 30 July 2017</ref> |
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Individual premises may switch from any FTTx technology to FTTP. Areas are able to switch from: |
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*FTTB to FTTP |
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*FTTN to FTTP |
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*Fixed wireless to FTTP |
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*Fixed wireless to FTTN |
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*Fixed wireless to FTTB |
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*Satellite to Fixed wireless |
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*Satellite to FTTP |
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*Satellite to FTTN |
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*Satellite to FTTB |
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The Technology Choice Program had limited take-up as of 23 March 2017 with 221 applications received; 113 proceeded to obtaining a quote, and 30 upgrading their connection at an average cost of A$7,395.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Crozier|first1=Ry|title=Few users go through with expensive NBN tech switches|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/few-users-go-through-with-expensive-nbn-tech-switches-463558|access-date=1 June 2017|work=iTnews|date=31 May 2017}}</ref> |
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==End-user issues== |
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A variety of issues have confronted NBN end users. |
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===Performance=== |
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NBN end users have had difficulty identifying who is responsible for addressing performance issues, due to their relationship being only with their retail service provider.<ref>[http://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/understanding-the-nbn-network-model.html Bill Morrow, (3 March 2017, updated 31 March 2017), The nbn project: Understanding the nbn network model, nbn]. Retrieved 2 May 2017</ref> |
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===Voice over IP=== |
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[[Voice over IP|VoIP]] services on FTTN and FTTB connections require a [[VDSL]] modem. Some RSPs allow customers to use their own VDSL modem, and publish the necessary settings to enable VoIP using third party modems. Some modems support both VDSL and ADSL. While older ADSL only modems cannot be used for VDSL (over an FTTN connection), they can be used for FTTP using the Ethernet WAN port if the hardware offers this functionality.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/gadgets-on-the-go/the-questions-to-ask-before-you-move-your-home-phone-to-the-nbn-20170405-gvdyna.html |first=Adam |last=Turner |date=7 April 2017 |title=The questions to ask before you move your home phone to the NBN |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=10 April 2017}}</ref> |
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===FTTN=== |
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FTTN is reliant on: |
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*the length of the copper cable. Where the length of copper exceeds 400 m for FTTN (or 150 m for FTTC) speeds drop off. An NBN spokesman said that homes up to 800 metres from a node may only get up to 50 Mbit/s instead of 100, and further than that users can only expect a quarter of the maximum speed, 25 Mbit/s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/the-big-lie-that-nbn-customers-are-being-sold/news-story/c5cd88a0a26a70a2183d635809de1519|title=The big lie that NBN customers are being sold|first=Charis|last=Chang|date=17 February 2017|access-date=17 February 2017|work=[[News Corp Australia]]}}</ref> |
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*the quality of the copper connection. Where the copper is degraded service reliability and or speed are affected. |
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Installation issues: |
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*relating to existing telephony wiring compatibility with VDSL2.<ref>[https://www.zdnet.com/article/in-home-fttn-wiring-testing-needed-costly-nbn-co/ David Braue, (10 December 2013), In-home FttN wiring testing needed, costly: NBN Co, ''ZDNet''] Retrieved 8 February 2017</ref> |
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*Craig Levy, Chief operating officer at TPG, stated, "... with NBN FTTN we are not allowed to lodge a fault unless the line performs less than 12 Mbit/s sync speed."<ref name = 12mbps>[https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumers-expect-too-much-from-the-internet-says-ombudsman-20170728-gxkltn.html Lucy Battersby, (28 July 2017), Consumers expect too much from the internet, says ombudsman, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'']. Retrieved 1 August 2017</ref> |
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FTTN has had issues with VDSL2 modems being incompatible with NBN FTTN. Attempting to connect an incompatible modem automatically locks a user's service and they are required to contact their service provider to unlock it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/General_NBN_FTTN_or_FTTB_modem_setup_advice|title=General NBN FTTN or FTTB modem setup advice|publisher=iiNet|access-date=8 February 2017}}</ref> NBN Co does not publish a list of compliant modems, rejecting a [[Freedom of Information Act 1982|Freedom of Information]] request for such a list in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://delimiter.com.au/2016/01/06/nbn-co-rejects-foi-request-for-basic-fttn-modem-details/|first=Renai|last=LeMay|date=6 January 2016|title=NBN Co rejects FOI request for basic FTTN modem details|work=Delimiter|access-date=8 February 2017}}</ref> |
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===HFC=== |
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HFC, like FTTN, is a shared service and subject to [[network congestion]].<ref name = netflix>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/netflix-effect-is-slowing-the-nations-broadband-internet-speed/news-story/1ca3e44dd35ca8e4f7cdfcc16aafaec4 Mitchell Bingemann, (10 September 2015), 'Netflix effect' is slowing the nation's broadband internet speed, ''The Australian'']</ref> |
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===Satellite=== |
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Sky Muster satellite connections have issues of regarding response times and limited data allowances. |
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Ongoing extended satellite outages, with ongoing work to improve service.<ref>[https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-admits-to-exorbitant-number-of-satellite-failures-452965 Allie Coyne, (28 February 2017), NBN Co admits to 'exorbitant' number of satellite failures: Could take a year to fix Sky Muster issues, ''itnews'']. Retrieved 2 May 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-02/sky-muster-service-massively-improved-in-rural-areas-nbn-says/8488884 David Coady, (2 May 2017), Sky Muster satellite service issues in remote areas have been 'massively improved', NBN says, ''AM'', ABC Radio National]. Retrieved 2 May 3017</ref> |
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===Fixed wireless=== |
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Fixed wireless connections to the NBN have severe issues regarding bandwidth due to massive oversubscription (NBN design documents are supposed to limit each "sector" to 56-110 premises however this is routinely exceeded) as well as issues with latency and limited data allowances. |
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===Connection speeds=== |
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The lack of accurate information on broadband speeds is a significant issue for end users according to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).<ref name =Telstraspeed>[http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/telstra-to-publish-nbn-speed-data-in-the-wake-of-nbn-co-being-criticised-for-leaving-consumers-in-the-dark/news-story/f6bf5c371ac158e777b88b682559ef16 Nick Whigham, (30 January 2017), Telstra to publish NBN speed data in the wake of NBN Co being criticised for leaving consumers in the dark, ''news.com.au'']. Retrieved 10 February 2017</ref><ref name=ACCCspeed>[https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/national-broadband-network/broadband-speeds Consumers>National Broadband Network>Broadband speeds] at Australian Competition & Consumer Commission</ref> ACCC initiated a broadband performance monitoring program in May 2017.<ref>[https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-to-monitor-australias-broadband-performance Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, (7 April 2017), ACCC to monitor Australia's broadband performance, Release number: MR 47/17].Retrieved 10 April 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/617334/isps-named-shamed-accc-monitor-nbn-speeds/ Rohan Pearce, (7 April 2017) ISPs to be named and shamed: ACCC to monitor NBN speeds: Broadband monitoring program gets government funding, ''Computerworld'']. Retrieved 10 April 2017</ref> |
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==Retail service providers== |
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NBN Co wholesales [[OSI model|Layer 2]] network access to retail service providers (RSPs),<ref name="Taylor">{{citation |first=Josh |last=Taylor |title=NBN Co pitches interconnect compromise |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=22 October 2010 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-co-pitches-interconnect-compromise/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> who retail Internet access and other services.<ref name="nbn-plan-p30-31"/> In this respect they strongly represent [[Internet service provider|Internet Service Providers]] (ISPs). |
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Pricing to RSPs is uniform within each technology regardless of where the service is delivered and across the technologies for the basic package.<ref>{{citation |first=Josh |last=Taylor |title=Senate passes NBN Bills with amendments |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=26 March 2011 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/senate-passes-nbn-bills-with-amendments/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> To provide this uniform pricing, regional and rural areas are cross-subsidised with the lower cost metropolitan areas. However, as RSP costs may vary, retail prices may vary between RSPs. |
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At February 2017, over 50 Retail Service Providers offered services, with three (Telstra, Optus and TPG) sharing 83% of the market.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Crozier|first1=Ry|title=Three ISPs take 83 percent of NBN market|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/three-isps-take-83-percent-of-nbn-market-437927|access-date=4 March 2017|work=iTnews}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Chang|first1=Charis|title=Avoiding the pitfalls of the NBN rollout|url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/what-you-dont-realise-about-the-nbn/news-story/96895fcaf406e16a7a3c4d9ac45a4fd4|access-date=4 March 2017|work=News.com.au|date=22 February 2017|language=en}}</ref> Fibre and fixed wireless plans start from $29.90 per month for the lowest tier of 12/1 megabit per second download/upload speeds<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/these-are-the-cheapest-nbn-plans-at-each-speed-tier-2017-3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303050937/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/these-are-the-cheapest-nbn-plans-at-each-speed-tier-2017-3|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 March 2017|title=Here are the cheapest NBN plans at each speed tier|last1=Yoo|first1=Tony|date=3 March 2017|work=Business Insider Australia|access-date=4 March 2017|language=en}}</ref> and the highest speed tier of 1000/400 for $330 per month.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://residential.launtel.net.au/info_pricing|title=Launtel Residential|website=residential.launtel.net.au|access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref> |
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===Connectivity=== |
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To prevent other potential providers from undercutting NBN Co in metropolitan areas, new fibre networks are required to be open access and charge similar prices; these rules are known as the "anti-cherry picking" provisions, which were enacted with other NBN legislation.<ref name="amendments">{{citation |first=Josh |last=Taylor |title=NBN amendments clarify cherry-picking |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=24 March 2011 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-amendments-clarify-cherry-picking/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> |
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==Political and industry responses== |
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===Political responses=== |
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When the Rudd Labor opposition first broached its NBN proposal, it was dismissed by the Howard government as unnecessary. It was argued that an upgrade to the current copper networks where "commercial solutions were not always viable" would address the need.<ref>{{citation |author=[[Australian Associated Press]] |title=Coonan attacks Labor broadband plans |publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=17 October 2007 |url=http://news.smh.com.au/national/coonan-attacks-labor-broadband-plans-20071017-14t6.html |access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref> In 2009, the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] described the NBN as a "dangerous delusion".<ref name="turnbull-delusion">{{citation |first=Suzanne |last=Tindal |title=Turnbull slams 'dangerous NBN delusion' |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=7 May 2009 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/turnbull-slams-dangerous-nbn-delusion/ |access-date=28 May 2011}}</ref> |
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[[National Party of Australia|National Party]] Senator [[Barnaby Joyce]] said the NBN mirrored a proposal released by their [[think tank]], saying it "delivers a strategic infrastructure outcome" and it is "vitally important that the [NBN] gets to the corners of our country where the market has failed".<ref>{{citation |title=The Nationals' Broadband Network |url=http://www.barnabyjoyce.com.au/Newsroom/MediaReleases/tabid/74/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/781/The-Nationals-Broadband-Network.aspx |publisher=[[Barnaby Joyce]] |date=9 April 2009 |access-date=21 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529213742/http://www.barnabyjoyce.com.au/Newsroom/MediaReleases/tabid/74/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/781/The-Nationals-Broadband-Network.aspx |archive-date=29 May 2011 }}</ref> |
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Independent MPs [[Rob Oakeshott]],<ref>{{citation |first=Tim |last=Lohman |title=NBN becomes lynchpin in Labor win |publisher=[[Computerworld]] |date=7 September 2010 |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/359685/nbn_becomes_lynchpin_labor_win/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> [[Tony Windsor]],<ref name="ts-windsor-support-age"/> [[Bob Katter]]<ref name="katter-support-cw"/> and [[Andrew Wilkie]]<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/national-broadband-network-top-priority-for-independent-wilkie/story-e6frgakx-1225912082058 |last=Bingemann |first=Mitchell |title=National Broadband Network top priority for independent Wilkie |publisher=[[The Australian]] |date=31 August 2010 |access-date=20 June 2011}}</ref> expressed support for NBN. Katter said the NBN is "a great thing for this country".<ref name="katter-support-cw">{{citation |first=James |last=Hutchinson |title=Katter backs NBN, but goes with Coalition |publisher=[[Computerworld]] |date=7 September 2010 |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/359731/katter_backs_nbn_goes_coalition/ |access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> Windsor said the NBN is "too good an opportunity to miss".<ref name="ts-windsor-support-age">{{citation |title=Transcript of Tony Windsor's announcement |publisher=[[The Age]] |date=7 September 2010 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/transcript-of-tony-windsors-announcement-20100907-14zew.html |access-date=17 July 2011 |location=Melbourne}}</ref> [[Family First Party]] leader [[Steve Fielding]] said the NBN will "bring [Australia] up to speed".<ref>{{citation |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/fielding-backs-nbn-20101124-187c0.html |title=Fielding backs NBN |last=Symons-Brown |first=Bonny |publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=24 November 2010 |access-date=20 June 2011}}</ref> |
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The size of the government's investment was a key point of debate. The [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] called for a [[cost-benefit analysis]], describing the NBN as "a [[white elephant]] on a massive scale".<ref name="turnbull-demolish-abc">{{citation |last=Rodgers |first=Emma |title=Abbott orders Turnbull to demolish NBN |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=14 September 2010 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/14/3011557.htm |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> The [[Economist Intelligence Unit]] (EIU) criticised the NBN as a "huge cost to the public sector",<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/nbn-costs-taxpayers-24-times-south-korea-at-one-tenth-the-speed-report-20110209-1amm2.html|publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|title=NBN costs taxpayers 24 times South Korea at one tenth the speed: report |date=9 February 2011 |access-date=20 June 2011}}</ref> instead advocating a policy focused on filling "gaps".<ref>{{citation |author1=Smith, Tony |author2=Robb, Andrew |title=Real Action on Broadband |work=Media Release |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |date=10 August 2010 |url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/media/pressrel/QJLX6/upload_binary/qjlx60.pdf |access-date=2 June 2011}}</ref> |
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The [[Australian Greens|Greens]] said the NBN "is a key piece of 21st century infrastructure".<ref>{{citation |last=Ludlam |first=Scott |title=Greens welcome progress on NBN |publisher=[[Australian Greens]] |date=1 June 2011 |url=http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/greens-welcome-progress-nbn |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715105804/http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/greens-welcome-progress-nbn |archive-date=15 July 2012 |access-date=20 September 2011 }}</ref> |
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===Telecommunications stakeholders=== |
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Telecommunication companies [[Optus]],<ref name="laborwins-zdnet"/><ref name="applaud-cw"/> [[iiNet]],<ref name="laborwins-zdnet"/><ref name="applaud-cw"/> [[Internode (ISP)|Internode]]<ref name="laborwins-zdnet" /> and [[Vodafone Australia|Vodafone]]<ref name="applaud-cw" /> expressed support for the project, along with the Australian Internet Industry Association, which said optical fibre solutions are "a critical part in the evolution of the internet".<ref>{{citation |first=Liz |last=Tay |title=IIA throws support behind NBN |url=http://www.itnews.com.au/News/229324,iia-throws-support-behind-nbn.aspx |publisher=[[iTnews]] |date=19 August 2010 |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> Internode managing director [[Simon Hackett]] said he was "glad [the NBN is] going to go ahead".<ref name="laborwins-zdnet">{{citation |last=LeMay |first=Renai |title=Labor wins: industry speaks |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=8 September 2010 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/labor-wins-industry-speaks/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> Vodafone-Hutchison CEO Nigel Dews said the NBN will "transform the competitive landscape".<ref name="applaud-cw">{{citation |last=Pauli |first=Darren |title=Telcos joined by Google, Intel to applaud NBN Study |publisher=[[Computerworld]] |date=8 May 2010 |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/345781/telcos_joined_by_google_intel_applaud_nbn_study/ |access-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> However, other telecommunications companies including [[AAPT Limited|AAPT]],<ref name="aapt-stifle-delimiter"/> [[PIPE Networks]]<ref name="slattery-bullshit-zdnet"/> and [[Exetel]]<ref name="exetel-zdnet"/> have expressed opposition to the NBN. AAPT chief executive [[Paul A. Broad]] said the NBN will "stifle competition".<ref name="aapt-stifle-delimiter">{{citation |first=Marina |last=Freri |title=NBN will stifle competition, says AAPT |url=http://delimiter.com.au/2011/03/30/nbn-will-stifle-competition-says-aapt/ |publisher=Delimiter |date=30 March 2011 |access-date=25 June 2011}}</ref> PIPE Networks founder [[Bevan Slattery]] said the NBN is "economically irresponsible".<ref name="slattery-bullshit-zdnet">{{citation |first=Renai |last=LeMay |title=Slattery calls 'bullshit' on NBN economics |url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/slattery-calls-bullshit-on-nbn-economics/ |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=25 June 2011}}</ref> Exetel chief executive John Linton described the NBN as a "political stunt".<ref name="exetel-zdnet">{{citation |first=Josh |last=Taylor |title=Speaking out: Exetel's view of telco issues |url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/speaking-out-exetels-view-of-telco-issues/ |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |date=31 January 2011 |access-date=12 May 2011}}</ref> |
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[[Microsoft]], [[Google]] and [[Intel]] expressed support.<ref name="laborwins-zdnet"/><ref name="applaud-cw"/> Google's head of engineering, Alan Noble, said the NBN will "be the greatest enabler of innovation". Intel managing director Philip Cronin said "the NBN has the potential to deliver significant long term benefits".<ref name="laborwins-zdnet"/> The [[Swinburne University of Technology]] conducted a survey of Australian Internet usage for the [[World Internet Project]] between {{nowrap|September 2009}} and {{nowrap|October 2009}}. The survey of 1,000 people asked about Internet usage and how it influences daily life.<ref>{{citation |title=CCi Digital Futures: The Internet in Australia |url=http://cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/sewing/CCi%20Digital%20Futures%202010%201.pdf |author1=Ewing, Scott |author2=Thomas, Julian |year=2010 |publisher=[[Swinburne University of Technology]] |access-date=15 May 2011 |pages=49–52, 54 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604101718/http://cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/sewing/CCi%20Digital%20Futures%202010%201.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2012 }}</ref> A question was included asking if the NBN was a "good idea"; 74.5 per cent agreed.<ref>{{citation |title=CCi Digital Futures: The Internet in Australia |url=http://cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/sewing/CCi%20Digital%20Futures%202010%201.pdf |author1=Ewing, Scott |author2=Thomas, Julian |year=2010 |publisher=[[Swinburne University of Technology]] |access-date=15 May 2011 |page=42 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604101718/http://cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/sewing/CCi%20Digital%20Futures%202010%201.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2012 }}</ref> In the survey, the NBN had stronger support among younger people and Internet users.<ref>{{citation |title=CCi Digital Futures: The Internet in Australia |url=http://cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/sewing/CCi%20Digital%20Futures%202010%201.pdf |author1=Ewing, Scott |author2=Thomas, Julian |year=2010 |publisher=[[Swinburne University of Technology]] |access-date=15 May 2011 |page=vii |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604101718/http://cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/sewing/CCi%20Digital%20Futures%202010%201.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2012 }}</ref> |
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===Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)=== |
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Given the [[market failure]] found in attempting to develop and implement the replacement telecommunications network a [[natural monopoly]] was set up with ACCC safeguarding the interests of end users, access seekers and NBN Co. This is achieved through NBN Co entering into a Special Access Undertaking to govern aspects of NBN design, service and charging until 2040, agreed 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/sell-nbn-services/special-access-undertaking-sau.html|title=Special Access Undertaking (SAU) - nbn - Australia's new broadband network|work=NBNCo.com.au|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref>[http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/NBN%20Co%20SAU%20-%20Varied%20on%2018%20November%202013%20(clean%20version).pdf (18 December 2012, varied on 18 November 2013), NBN Co Special Access Undertaking given to the ACCC in accordance with Part XIC of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), NBN Co Limited]. Retrieved 4 March 2016</ref> |
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==Coverage== |
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Some NBN areas are "[[Brownfield land|brownfield]]" that were provided directly by NBN Co, but many were new "[[Greenfield project|greenfield]]" areas in subdivisions that did not have an existing service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/glossary.pdf|title=NBN Glossary|access-date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502003210/http://www.nbnco.com.au/assets/documents/glossary.pdf|archive-date=2 May 2014}}</ref> Greenfield developments must provide fibre connections, at a cost to the developer (and thus homeowner).<ref>[http://www.govtechreview.com.au/greenfield-wiring-costs-wind-up-property-developers/#.U2Gat1dPrRY GovTechReview Staff, (1 September 2010), Greenfield wiring costs wind up property developers, ''Government Technology Review'']</ref> Most brownfield areas are near existing exchanges, which presumably already had [[Asymmetric digital subscriber line|ADSL]]. |
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The NBN Corporate Plan 2011-2013<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |title=NBN Co Limited Corporate Plan 2011-2013 |access-date=27 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106023447/http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/nbn-co-3-year-gbe-corporate-plan-final-17-dec-10.pdf |archive-date=6 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> estimated approximately 13 million premises would be covered by the NBN, 12 million using fibre (FTTP). However this plan was abandoned by the incoming Liberal government in 2013. |
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===Blackspots=== |
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In February 2014 the government produced a new MyBroadband<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mybroadband.communications.gov.au/|title=MyBroadband|access-date=30 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502110157/https://www.mybroadband.communications.gov.au/|archive-date=2 May 2014}}</ref> website that provided information about access. It showed that 1.6 million premises across Australia either have no access to fixed broadband or very poor broadband connectivity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cio.com.au/article/538715/new_website_identifies_nbn_blackspots/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140430065655/http://www.cio.com.au/article/538715/new_website_identifies_nbn_blackspots/|archive-date=30 April 2014|title=New website identifies NBN blackspots|work=CIO.com.au|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> |
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==Customer uptake== |
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Premises are considered "passed" when "all design, construction, commissioning and quality assurance activities in a FSAM (Fibre Servicing Area Module) have been completed for the Local network and Distribution network".<ref name="ReferenceA">[http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/media-releases/2013/nbn-co-meets-revised-targets.pdf NBN Co meets revised end-of-year fibre rollout target]</ref> Certain premises classed as "service class zero" that require extra internal construction such as apartments, town houses, shopping arcades and industrial complexes may not be able to order services, even though their premises had been passed. |
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NBN Co's stated their usage of "premises passed" was an "accepted industry definition".<ref name="ReferenceA"/> However, their corporate plan defined "premises passed" as places where "NBN services may be ordered and purchased",<ref>{{cite web|title=NBN Co rollout map|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/when-do-i-get-it/rollout-map.html?cid=ps:ggl:Education-NationalBrand-Search-Computer:nbn-coverage&gclid=COLihJ2mxLgCFUdJpgodUzwABw|publisher=NBN Co|access-date=22 July 2013}}</ref> causing NBN Co to be accused of "creative accounting".<ref>{{cite news | title=NBN Co accused of 'creative accounting' |author1=James Hutchinson |author2=David Ramli |name-list-style=amp | date=2013-07-01 | newspaper=[[The Australian Financial Review]] | url=http://www.afr.com/p/technology/nbn_co_accused_of_creative_accounting_YVAv0cdvM68MGRttnT9clK}}</ref> |
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No aggregate data summarises broadband speeds possible for connectable premises, which has been identified as a significant issue for end users by ACCC.<ref name =Telstraspeed/><ref name=ACCCspeed/> |
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===Total number of active NBN connections by access technology<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 February 2022 |title=NBN Wholesale Market Indicators Report |url=https://www.accc.gov.au/regulated-infrastructure/communications/national-broadband-network-nbn/nbn-wholesale-market-indicators-report/december-quarter-2021-report |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=ACCC.gov.au}}</ref>=== |
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{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;" |
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!colspan=99 | Total number of active NBN connections by access technology<br/>(June 2021) |
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|- |
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| |
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{{Graph:Chart|width=600|height=300|type=stackedarea |legend=Access technology |
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|colors=navy, orange, green, gray, pink, brown, black |
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|xAxisTitle=Report date |
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|xAxisFormat=%b %Y |
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|xType=date |
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|x= |
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2011-06, |
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2011-12, |
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2012-06, |
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2012-12, |
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2013-06, |
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2013-12, |
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2014-06, |
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2014-12, |
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2015-06, |
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2015-12, |
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2016-06, |
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2016-12, |
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2017-06, |
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2017-12, |
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2018-06, |
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2018-12, |
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2019-06, |
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2019-09, |
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2019-12, |
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2020-03, |
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2020-06, |
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2020-09, |
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2020-12, |
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2021-03, |
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2021-06, |
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2021-09, |
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2021-12 |
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|yAxisTitle=Number of active NBN services |
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|yAxisFormat=s |
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|yGrid= |
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|y1Title=FttP |
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|y1=622, 2315, 3867, 10400, 33600, 80077, 151127, 253883, 399854, 610978, 822652, 969670, 1072819, 1151843, 1200000, 1399503, 1422645, 1457727, 1495441, 1528051, 1552244, 1579292, 1602597, 1634587, 1658112 |
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|y2Title=FttB |
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|y2={{repeat|14|, }} 0, 153290, 165652, 185261, 201253, 219122, 232935, 248461, 258743, 265742, 271344 |
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|y3Title=FttC |
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|y3={{repeat|14|, }} 0, 324996, 407834, 535537, 679077, 829315, 922622, 996465, 1041942, 1081564, 1104317 |
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|y4Title=FttN |
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|y4={{repeat|8|, }} 0, 6636, 119694, 449258, 957919, 1529907, 2100000, 2749976, 2808757, 2874891, 2944059, 3006069, 3041550, 3068246, 3077256, 3090930, 3095052 |
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|y5Title=HFC |
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|y5={{repeat|9|, }} 0, 10, 14615, 152786, 408293, 400000, 1164427,1396682, 1594645, 1698797, 1812099, 1916284, 1938713, 1944722, 1954765, 1975028 |
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|y6Title=Fixed Wireless |
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|y6= , 0, 91, 1000, 1900, 6512, 16553, 27792, 47473, 82435, 117514, 154078, 184678, 212917, 200000, 298228, 304317, 312314, 324910, 336368, 345455, 354587, 363180, 372876, 380768 |
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|y7Title=Satellite |
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|y7=166, 1700, 9578, 23100, 34600, 44170, 42948, 40716, 38288, 36003, 38764, 64943, 74931, 83400, 100000, 96138, 95977, 96489, 96584, 96507, 95788, 93397, 89433, 112331, 110311 |
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}} |
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|} |
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===Speed tier percentage per NBN connection type=== |
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Shows the speed tier as a percentage of total active connections of each NBN connection type (fixed line, satellite and wireless). A customer can choose any speed tier that is available for their service; the speed tier is the maximum download/upload limit of the service.<ref>{{cite web | title=NBN Annual Report 2019 | page=28 | url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/2019/documents/corporate-reports/nbn_annual_report_2019.pdf}}</ref> |
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{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;" |
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!colspan=99 | Speed tier percentage per NBN connection type<br/>(June 2019) |
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|- |
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| |
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{{Graph:Chart|width=600|height=300|legend=Connection type|type=rect |
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|xAxisTitle=Speed tier (Down/up, Mbps)|yAxisTitle=Percentage |
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|y1Title=Fixed line (FttN, FttP and HFC)|y2Title=Satellite|y3Title=Wireless|showValues= |
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|x=12/1, 25/5, 25/10, 50/20, 100/40 |
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|y1=17, 18, 1, 56, 9 |
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|y2=31, 69, 0, 0, 0 |
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|y3=14, 34, 0, 52, 0 |
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|colors=#99CB38, #37A76F, #44C1A3, #4EB3CF, #51C3F9 |
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}} |
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|} |
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===Half-yearly data=== |
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The tabulated data of half-yearly statistics for active NBN connections. An active NBN connection is where construction has been completed and a customer has ordered and activated an NBN service. |
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{|class="wikitable nowrap" style="text-align:right; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; border:none;" |
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|+ Total number of active NBN connections by access technology<br/>{{small|(rounded to nearest '00)}} |
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! rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| Type |
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! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 2011<ref name=NBNCoAnnualReport2012>{{cite report |date=30 June 2012 |title=NBN Co Annual Report 2012 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/nbnco-annual-report-2012.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |page=16 |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=NBNCoDec2012Media>{{cite web |url=http://www2.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/media-centre/media-releases/nbn-hails-4000th-customer.html |title=NBN hails 4000th customer |date=3 January 2012 |website=nbnco.com.au |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=8 March 2017 }}</ref> |
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! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 2012<ref name=NBNCoAnnualReport2012/><ref name=NBNCoRolloutInfoJune2015/><ref name=NBNCoRolloutUpdateDec2012>{{cite report |date=29 January 2013 |title=Rollout Update 29 January 2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/media-releases/2013/rollout-update-29-Jan-2013.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |page=2 |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> |
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! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2013<ref name=NBNCoMeetsRevisedTargets>{{cite report |date=4 July 2013 |title=NBN Co meets revised targets |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/media-releases/2013/nbn-co-meets-revised-targets.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |page=2 |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearResultsDec2013>{{cite report |date=December 2013 |title=Half Year Results Presentation December 2013 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/Half-Year-Results-Presentation-PDF.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |page=20 |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2014<ref name=NBNCoRolloutInfoJune2015>{{cite report |date=11 June 2015 |title= NBN Co National Broadband Network – Rollout Information June 2015 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/nbnco-rollout-metrics-11062015.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2015<ref name=NBNCo2015FinancialResults>{{cite web |date=June 2015 |title=2015 Financial Results Presentation |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/FY15-annual-results-presentation.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearResultsJan2016>{{cite report |date=January 2016 |title=NBN Half Year Results 2016 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/nbn-half-year-financial-results-2016-presentation.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |page=8 |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2016<ref name=NBNCoFullYearResultsJune2016>{{cite report |date=June 2016 |title=Full Year Results 2016 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/nbn-financial-results-FY2016.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |page=9 |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearReportDec2016>{{cite report |date=December 2016 |title=Half-Year Report For the six months ended 31 December 2016 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/nbn-half-year-report-2017.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |page=15 |access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearResultsFeb2018>{{cite report |date=February 2018 |title=Half year results 2018 |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/2018/documents/corporate-reports/nbn-half-year-report-2018.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2017<ref name=NBNCoFullYearResultsAug2017>{{cite report |date=August 2017 |title=Full Year Results 2017 |url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/nbn-FY17-full-year-results-presentation.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 2018<ref name=NBNCoFullYearResultsOct2018>{{cite report |date=October 2018 |title=Full year results 2018 |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/2018/documents/media-centre/nbn-co-annual-report-2018.pdf |publisher=NBN Co |access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref> |
|||
|- |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;"| Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
|- |
|||
! style="text-align:center;"|Fixed<br/>wireless |
|||
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 91 || 1 000 || 1 900 || 6 500 || 16 600 || 27 800 || 47 500 || 82 400 || 117 500 || 154 000 || 184 700 || 212 900 || ~200 000 |
|||
|- |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | FttN |
|||
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 6 600 || 119 700 || 449 300 || 958 000 || 1 529 900 || ~2 100 000 |
|||
|- |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | FttP |
|||
| 600 || 2 300 || 3 900 || 10 400 || 33 600 || 80 100 || 151 100 || 253 800 || 399 900 || 611 000 || 822 700 || 969 700 || 1 072 800 || 1 151 900 || ~1 200 000 |
|||
|- |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | HFC |
|||
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 10 || 14 600 || 152 800 || 408 300 || ~400 000 |
|||
|- |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Satellite |
|||
| 200 || 1 700 || 9 600 || 23 100 || 34 600 || 44 200 || 43 000 || 40 700 || 38 300 || 36 000 || 38 800 || 64 900 || 74 900 || 83 400 || ~100 000 |
|||
|- style="font-weight:bold;" |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Total |
|||
| 800 || 4 000 || 13 600 || 34 500 || 70 100 || 130 800 || 210 700 || 322 300 || 485 700 || 736 000 || 1 098 700 || 1 652 500 || 2 443 100 || 3 386 000 || ~4 400 000 |
|||
|} |
|||
{| class="wikitable nowrap" style="text-align:right; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; border:none;" |
|||
|+ Speed tier percentage per NBN connection type:<br/>{{small|(Down/Up, Mbit/s)}} |
|||
! rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| Type |
|||
! rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| Speed |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 2011<ref name=NBNCoAnnualReport2012 /><ref name=NBNCoDec2012Media /> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 2012<ref name=NBNCoAnnualReport2012 /><ref name=NBNCoRolloutInfoJune2015 /><ref name=NBNCoRolloutUpdateDec2012 /> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2013<ref name=NBNCoMeetsRevisedTargets /><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearResultsDec2013 /> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2014<ref name=NBNCoRolloutInfoJune2015 /> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2015<ref name=NBNCo2015FinancialResults /><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearResultsJan2016/> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2016<ref name=NBNCoFullYearResultsJune2016 /><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearReportDec2016 /><ref name=NBNCoHalfYearResultsFeb2018 /> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | 2017<ref name=NBNCoFullYearResultsAug2017 /> |
|||
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 2018<ref name=NBNCoFullYearResultsOct2018 /> |
|||
|- |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;"| Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Dec |
|||
! style="text-align:center;" | Jun |
|||
|- |
|||
! rowspan=5 style="text-align:center;" | Fixed line:<br/>{{small|(FttN, FttP, HFC)}} |
|||
! 12/1 |
|||
| || || || || || ~43% || || 38% || 35% || 33% || 32% || 31% || 29% || 30% || 29% |
|||
|- |
|||
! 25/5 |
|||
| || || || || || ~30% || || 38% || 42% || 45% || 49% || 51% || 53% || 52% || 22% |
|||
|- |
|||
! 25/10 |
|||
| || || || || || ~1% || || 1% || 1% || 1% || 1% || 1% || 1% || 1% || 1% |
|||
|- |
|||
! 50/20 |
|||
| || || || || || ~4% || || 4% || 4% || 5% || 4% || 4% || 4% || 4% || 37% |
|||
|- |
|||
! 100/40 |
|||
| || || || || || ~22% || || 19% || 18% || 16% || 14% || 13% || 13% || 13% || 11% |
|||
|- |
|||
! rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | Satellite<br/>(Sky Muster): |
|||
! 12/1 |
|||
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 26% || 33% || 34% || 34% || 32% |
|||
|- |
|||
! 25/5 |
|||
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 74% || 67% || 66% || 66% || 68% |
|||
|- |
|||
! rowspan=3 style="text-align:center;" | Wireless: |
|||
! 12/1 |
|||
| || || || || || ~65% || || 26% || 20% || 17% || 16% || 17% || 16% || 17% || 7% |
|||
|- |
|||
! 25/5 |
|||
| || || || || || ~35%|| || 74% || 80% || 83% || 81% || 79% || 78% || 76% || 74% |
|||
|- |
|||
! 50/20 |
|||
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{N/A}} || {{N/A}} || 3% || 4% || 6% || 7% || 9% |
|||
|} |
|||
==See also== |
|||
{{Portal|Telecommunication|Australia}} |
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* [[Internet in Australia]] |
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* [[National Broadband Plan (United States)|National Broadband Plan]] in the United States |
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* [[Telecommunications in Australia]] |
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* [[Ultra-Fast Broadband]] programme in New Zealand |
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==References== |
==References== |
||
;Notes |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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{{notelist}} |
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{{Reflist|group="note"}} |
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;Sources |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
||
{{Commons category}} |
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*[http://www.dbcde.gov.au/nationalbroadbandnetwork NBN section on Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy website] |
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*{{official website|http://www.nbn.com.au}} |
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**[http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/110002/NBN_Regulatory_Reform_for_the_21st_Century_Broadband_low_res_web.pdf Discussion Paper - ''"National Broadband Network: Regulatory Reform for 21st Century Broadband"''] |
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* [http://www.nbnco.com.au/learn-about-the-nbn/rollout-map.html Rollout map] |
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:Scope of proposed NBN regulation, business structure and possible telecommunications legislation reform. |
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*[http://www.computerworld.com.au/nbn Computerworld Australia map of NBN deployment progress] |
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{{Internet service providers of Australia}} |
{{Internet service providers of Australia}} |
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{{Telecommunications}} |
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{{authority control}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:National Broadband Network| ]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Infrastructure in Australia]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Abbott government]] |
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[[Category:Rudd government]] |
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[[Category:Turnbull government]] |
Latest revision as of 02:27, 31 December 2024
The National Broadband Network (NBN) is an Australian national wholesale open-access data network. It includes wired and radio communication components rolled out and operated by NBN Co, a government-owned corporation. Internet service providers, known under NBN as retail service providers or RSPs, contract with NBN to access the data network and sell fixed Internet access to end users.[1]
Rationales for this national telecommunications infrastructure project included replacing the existing copper cable telephony network that is approaching end of life,[a] and the rapidly growing demand for Internet access. As initially proposed by the Rudd government in 2009, wired connections would have provided up to 100 Mbit/s (later increased to 1000 Mbit/s), although this was decreased to a minimum of 25 Mbit/s in 2013 after the election of the Abbott government.[3][4][5][6]
As the largest infrastructure project in Australia's history,[7] NBN was the subject of significant political contention and has been an issue in federal elections.[8][9] The Liberal government initially stated that the "Multi-Technology Mix" (MTM) would be completed by 2016, however this was changed after the election to 2019 and then again to 2020. The project cost jumped from the Liberal Party's estimated $29.5 billion before the 2013 federal election, to $46–56 billion afterwards. In 2016 NBN Co. said it was on target for $49 billion,[9] but by late 2018 the estimated final cost was $51 billion.[10]
History
[edit]2007
[edit]A fast broadband initiative was announced in the run-up to the 2007 federal election by the Labor opposition with an estimated cost of A$15 billion including a government contribution of $4.7 billion that would be raised in part by selling the Federal Government's remaining shares in Telstra.
The Labor Party Rudd government was elected on 24 November 2007 and initial planning commenced.
The NBN was originally to deliver its wholesale service through fibre to the node (FTTN) and reach approximately 98% of premises in Australia by June 2016. A new satellite network would be built to reach the rest of the country.[11]
2008
[edit]An initial request for proposal (RFP) to build the NBN was issued but not executed.[12] Organisations lodging compliant proposals were neither able to meet the requirements nor able to raise the necessary capital. A non-compliant proposal was received from Telstra and they were excluded from consideration.
2009
[edit]The Rudd government announced it would bypass the existing copper network by constructing a new national network combining fibre to the premises (FTTP), fixed wireless and satellite technologies. The first Rudd government had proposed to develop a modern optical fibre telecommunications network to provide broadband access to 93% of the Australian population at 100 Mbit/s, with those areas and people outside the network footprint to be provided broadband access through fixed wireless and geosynchronous telecommunications satellite.[13]
The cost estimate rose to $43 billion and later revised to $37.4 billion. The project was to be financed by a combination of a Federal Government investment of $30.4 billion and private investment for the remainder.
Dividends were to be paid after completion in 2021 to the federal government, with the government's contribution repaid by 2034. A return on investment of 7.1% was expected on revenue of $23.1 billion by 2021.
Tasmania was selected for a trial deployment based on the Tasmanian Government's submission to the RFP. A forced structural separation of Telstra was threatened but not completed. NBN Co was established on 9 April 2009 and Mike Quigley appointed chief executive officer on 25 July.
2010
[edit]An implementation study was commissioned in April 2009 and released on 6 May. In April, NBN Co issued a request for tender (RFT) for the major FTTP rollout. Fourteen vendors submitted a proposal; however, NBN Co suspended the process on 1 April 2011, as the prices were unacceptably high. The first FTTP customers were connected in July 2010.
The Gillard government was elected at the 2010 Australian federal election. As a minority government priority was given to regional and rural areas, areas from which supporting cross-bench MPs were elected. An increase in the peak speed to one gigabit per second was announced in response to Google Fiber developments in the USA. After the election Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appointed Malcolm Turnbull as Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband, stating that he believed the NBN to be a white elephant and that Turnbull had "the technical expertise and business experience to entirely demolish the government on this issue".[14][15]
NBN Co's business plan was released on 20 December 2010, including forecasts and network design incorporating these priorities. Tasmania was selected as the first state for a three-stage trial FTTP rollout. Stage one was announced in July 2009. The first customers were connected a year later. Stages two and three were announced on 21 October 2009 and 1 March 2010, respectively.
Under the 2010 NBN Co corporate plan, it was estimated that the NBN construction would require A$27.5 billion in government equity and raise an estimated A$13.4 billion in debt funding without government support; a total funding requirement of A$40.9 billion up to FY2021. Financial forecasts for NBN Co assuming a 7% internal rate of return (IRR) expect the government and debt equity will be fully repaid including accrued interest by FY2040.[16]
Redesign
[edit]Originally, NBN Co planned for a centralised model with only 14 points of interconnect (PoIs); however, that was overruled by the Federal Government on the advice from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC considered the plan to be "mission creep" and would have given NBN Co a monopoly over backhaul; however, NBN Co said centralised model would have allowed smaller RSPs to connect without going through a wholesale aggregator.[17] ACCC recommended 121 Pols after public consultation.[18]
Internode criticised the "insane"[19] number of POIs and after its pricing announcement warned it might have to charge more in regional areas because of the increased costs.[20] In response Turnbull said the "government can't deliver on a crucial promise" of "national uniform pricing"; however, Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy said that they "guaranteed uniform wholesale pricing" not retail pricing.[21]
Internode (in 2010) warned that increasing the number of POIs was likely to lead to consolidation in the ISP[22] industry. Following this warning the industry consolidated, resulting in four major RSPs (Telstra, Optus, TPG Telecom and Vocus Communications) who accounted for the majority of the market share.
2011
[edit]The Parliament passed the National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011 and a related bill on 28 March. The RFT of April 2010 was suspended process on 1 April 2011, as the prices were unacceptably high.
NBN Co contracted with Ericsson on 1 June to design, build and operate the network with options to extend the contract for up to 10 years at a total cost of $1.1 billion. Construction commenced in 2011, with the first five locations announced as the regional and rural communities surrounding Geraldton, Toowoomba, Tamworth, Ballarat and Darwin.[23]
NBN Co entered into an agreement worth up to $380 million with Silcar on 1 June. The agreement covered the construction of the NBN in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT by Silcar, a company joint-owned by Siemens and Thiess. The agreement includes the option of a two-year extension with an additional value of $740 million.
NBN Co signed an agreement with Telstra on 23 June estimated to be worth $9 billion post-tax net present value, building upon the signing of a financial heads of agreement a year beforehand. Telstra was not required to separate retail and wholesale operations, instead agreeing to disconnect its Internet customers from the copper and hybrid fibre-coaxial networks in areas where FTTP has been installed and agreed to lease dark fibre, exchange space and ducts to NBN Co. Telstra would not be able to market their mobile network as an alternative to the NBN for a number of years.
NBN Co signed an agreement with Optus on 23 June estimated to be worth $800 million post-tax net present value over its hybrid fibre-coaxial network.
Following low take-up rates in Tasmania, the government adopted an opt-out model in which users are assumed to want the service unless they explicitly opt-out. Fourteen second-release sites comprising 54,000 premises in all states and territories were announced on 8 July 2010 with construction commencing in August.
Telstra allowed NBN Co to use its exchanges and ducts in the second release sites before agreement with Telstra was finalised.
Interim satellite service
[edit]NBN Co launched interim satellite services on 1 July, providing up to six megabits per second.[24] Due to the limited satellite capacity, these services were given to customers who did not have access to alternative "metro comparable" services, similar to the Federal Government's Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) program which ended on 30 June.[24] The criteria for alternative "metro comparable" services were minimum data speeds of at least 512 kilobits per second, a 3 GB per month data allowance and a total price to the end customer of no more than $2,500 over three years.[25] To provide these services NBN Co bought managed satellite services and satellite capacity from Optus for $200 million and additional satellite capacity from IPstar[26] for $100 million.[27]
Five areas comprising around 14,000 premises were chosen as the "first mainland sites", each representing rollout challenges the NBN expected to face during an Australia-wide rollout. The first services went live on 19 April 2011.
2012
[edit]Attorney-General Nicola Roxon blocked Huawei from seeking a supply contract for the National Broadband Network, on the advice of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.[28] The Australian government feared Huawei would provide backdoor access for Chinese cyber espionage.[29]
Significant attacks were made by the Liberal/National Coalition opposition leading up to the 2013 election. These focused on the estimated cost and timeline for implementation. The build cost had been a key point of debate. Turnbull and Abbott stated that they would take an "agnostic" approach.[30] They argued that the demand for such a service was not significant,[b] and thus that the estimated cost was too high and the timeline for implementation was too long.
2013
[edit]The Multi-Technology Mix (MTM) was selected as the approach to broadband provision by the Liberal–National coalition in the lead up to the 2013 Australian federal election. That is, response to what the coalition stated to be excessive performance specifications and costs they moved from a model which previously focused on FTTP (fibre to the premises) to a multi-technology mix[35] model using FTTx, including FTTP, FTTN (fibre to the node), FTTB (fibre to the building or basement) and most recently FTTdp (fibre to the distribution point); and HFC (hybrid fibre coaxial) in metropolitan areas. Regional and remote areas were mainly unchanged as a result of the strategic review and typically receive a service using either fixed wireless, using LTE technology, or satellite.
After the 2013 election, the Abbott government announced immediate changes to the NBN: most of the NBN Co board was asked to resign; Ziggy Switkowski was appointed Chairman; and rollout was moved from FTTP to "alternative technologies" such as fibre to the node. The government limited the rollout of FTTP to those areas already in development. Later implementation of the Multi-Technological Mix (MTM) began with the promise of earlier completion and significant cost savings compared to the earlier approach. The predominant change was the adoption of a mixed copper-optical technology with fibre to the node (FTTN). Studies and a strategic review were commissioned.[36][c]
As of 3 November 2013, construction of the network had passed 354,793 premises and 109,862 customer services were active.[37] In areas where the FTTP network was rolled out, a similar agreement with Optus was in place.
Following the election of the Abbott government, NBN Co reassessed financial forecasts and progress of the NBN roll-out and published a strategic review in December 2013. On 12 December, the NBN Co board appointed Bill Morrow as NBN Co's new CEO, replacing Quigley. Telstra asserted its intention to retain the $11bn value it generates from the previous government's deal.
Delays occurred when work was stopped for several weeks on sites where asbestos was found in Telstra pits. Turnbull announced the MTM approach promising significant savings and earlier completion. The MTM added fibre to the node (FTTN) as the preferred technology; and kept hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) (previously planned to be shut down).
2014
[edit]In April 2014, The Australian newspaper judged the Tasmania rollout as shambolic and abysmal.[38] The final MTM approach was finalised. Initial costs and timing for the Coalition NBN were $29.5 billion of public funding to construct by 2019.
In May NBN announced that it would be targeting premises that were already serviced with fibre by rival TPG.[39]
2015
[edit]Quigley publicly attacked the NBN and the MTM, noting cost blowouts and delays that he said were the fault of changes made by the Coalition government.[40][41][42][43][44][45]
As of 30 June, 1,011,973 premises were able to order services, 571,527 brown fields. 180,796 greenfields premises were able to order fixed-line services, 220,917 fixed wireless, and 38,743 interim satellite service.[46] 485,615 users were active.[47] As of 31 March, 64,102 premises of the 722,031 premises passed were classed as being "service class zero"—"the Service Class that applies to a Premises that is not NBN Serviceable for the purposes of the NFAS but is in the footprint of the NBN Co Fibre Network."[48]
2016
[edit]Turnbull became Prime Minister and Mitch Fifield became the Minister for Communications.
At 30 June, NBN Co had passed 2,893,474 premises across all technologies.[49] Company annual revenue was $421 million compared to $164 million in 2015 financial year, with approximately 1,100,000 active user at 30 June.[47]
NBN Co found no significant demand for wired connections above 25 Mbit/s (despite public surveys indicating otherwise)[50] and upgrading the network would not be considered until demand for high-bandwidth services was proven.[51]
2017
[edit]A 2017 report by the Joint Standing Committee on NBN found significant technology issues and company performance. All but one of the Coalition members of the committee released a dissenting report strongly defending the NBN and NBN Co.[52][53][54]
In 2017, Morrow wrote a public blog post arguing that the New Zealand program Ultra-Fast Broadband operated in a different policy setting, with Telecom New Zealand separated into Chorus (wholesale) and Spark (retail).[55] On 23 October, Turnbull said, "The NBN was a calamitous train wreck of a project when we came into government in 2013," and argued that the NBN might never make a profit.[56]
Turnbull commented on New Zealand's program "They basically ensured the incumbent telco, the Telstra equivalent, split its network operations away from its retail operations. And then that network company in effect became the NBN. The virtue of that was you actually had a business that knew what it was doing, that was up and running, that had 100 years of experience getting on with the job."
Morrow admitted that 15% of end users receive poor service through NBN and are "seriously dissatisfied".[57] In addition, Morrow indicated that in July, prices and performance for end users were suppressed through a "price war" between RSPs.[58][59] However, despite this comment, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman released its annual reporting showing a 159% increase in NBN complaints with nearly 40% of NBN customers dissatisfied.[60]
In response to the imminent broadcast of a critical documentary, Turnbull stated that NBN was a failure, but blaming the earlier Rudd and Gillard governments.[61][62] The documentary noted significant issues with the rollout and complaints regarding performance of the NBN.[63] Following the Prime Minister's acknowledgment of the NBN's failure, Rudd noted that, on assuming government in 2013, Turnbull, as Minister for Communications in the Abbott government, radically changed the network's technical aspects.[64]
The ACCC began an inquiry into the NBN in November 2017, to investigate whether regulation was needed to improve outcomes for consumers.[65] In November 2017 NBN Co temporarily suspended the rollout of its HFC network due to performance issues,[66] costing Telstra close to $600 million AUD of its 2018 profits.
2018
[edit]In February 2018, Turnbull was criticised for connecting The Lodge to the NBN using FTTC technology while neighbours had FTTN, and for having a 100 Mbit/s plan, when he had previously stated that most Australians would not need those speeds.[67][68] During the South Australia state election, Jay Weatherill promised funding for an alternative network for Adelaide if re-elected.[69]
2019
[edit]In April 2019, the ACCC released a report stating that consumers were paying more for basic internet access under the NBN than they were for ADSL plans under the same speeds. Mark Gregory of RMIT University estimated that to return the NBN to all-fibre similar to the initial plan would cost between $16 billion and $20 billion over five to ten years.[70]
NBN Co's chief executive Stephen Rue announced in August 2019 that the $51 billion project would be completed within budget by June 2020. At the time of the announcement, the network was 85% complete.[71]
In December 2019, Speedtest.net ranked Australia 68th globally in terms of internet speed, a decline of three places from the year before and the fourth-slowest in the OECD, while being under the global average.[72]
2020
[edit]In February 2020, Rue announced that the network was 90% complete. He also reaffirmed his August 2019 announcement that the project would be completed within budget by June 2020.[73]
In September 2020, the Coalition announced a $4.5 billion upgrade to the NBN, planning to bring faster internet speeds to up to 8 million people, a move seen as a backflip from the Liberals after campaigning for seven years against Labor's original NBN's plan consisting of FTTP.[74]
Infrastructure
[edit]Point of interconnect (POI)
[edit]Networks managed by individual RSPs connect to the main NBN infrastructure through points of interconnect (POIs).[75] There are 121 POIs across the country, housed inside Telstra-owned telephone exchanges.[76] Not all exchanges contain POIs – data which reaches a non-POI exchange is transmitted to the closest POI through the NBN transit network. POIs provide Layer 2 network access to the backhaul networks managed by RSPs, thus they act as a "handover point" between NBN and RSP infrastructure.[18][77]
Network termination device (NTD)
[edit]A network termination device (NTD) is a customer-side network interface device which provides multiple bridges for customers to access the NBN. There are different types of NTDs for the various technologies. All connection types but FTTN use NTDs on premises. Depending on the kind of link, NTDs typically provide two telephony and four data channels.[78] An external power source is required, and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can be used to maintain connection in power outages (battery backups are available for the FTTP NTD). FTTC requires power to be provided from the premises to the kerb (distribution point).
NTDs provide user–network interface (UNI) connections for connection of in-premises devices, typically though multiple modular jacks. The NTD cannot be used as a Layer 3 router for in-premises networking.
NBN technologies
[edit]The NBN network includes a range of connection technologies for both wired communication (copper, fibre optic, and hybrid fibre-coaxial) and radio communication (satellite and fixed wireless). RSPs connect to these networks at points of interconnect ( ). Access to mobile telecommunication backhauls is also sold to mobile telecommunications providers.[79]
Detailed network design rules as required by the Special Access Undertaking agreed by NBN Co and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission were released on 19 December 2011,[80] with updates on 18 September 2012,[81] 30 June 2016[82] and 30 June 2017.[83]
The NBN "Multi Technology Mix" (MTM) consists of the following network technologies:
- Wired:
- Fibre to the building (FTTB) – Used for multi-dwelling units and apartment blocks. Equivalent to FTTN, with the "node" located inside the building's communications room.[84] Also known as fibre to the basement.
- Fibre to the curb (FTTC) – Previously called fibre to the distribution point (FTTdp). Fibre connection to a communications pit on the street, then copper to the premises. Replacing Optus HFC from 2017.[85] Also known as fibre to the pit.
- Fibre to the node (FTTN) – A mix of copper and fibre optic technology, providing most NBN connections. Minimum speed of 25 Mbit/s.
- Fibre to the premises (FTTP) – Fibre optic connection using a gigabit passive optical network. Available for greenfield development.
- Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) – Uses a mix of fibre optic and CATV technology largely built on Telstra's HFC network
- Wireless:
- Fixed wireless
- Satellite – Sky Muster telecommunications satellites
In all technologies, voice services may be provided through Voice over IP with a suitable modem. FTTN and FTTP connections support direct connection of an analog telephone.
Fibre to the curb (FTTC)
[edit]Previously known as fibre to the distribution point (FTTdp).[86]
Customers access the FTTC network through copper connections using existing phone plugs.[d] An NBN-provided mains-powered FTTC connection device provides one Ethernet port for connection to a router.
FTTC is typically used where an optical fibre cable is already close to each home or business. It is connected to the existing copper lines via a small distribution point unit (DPU) located near the property boundary inside a pit on the street. Each DPU can service up to four connections. The DPU is powered through an NBN-provided mains-powered FTTC connection device (a type of NTD) in each connected premises.[87][88]
Fibre to the node (FTTN)
[edit]Existing copper connections are maintained with existing plugs being used.[d] The end-user accesses the network using a VDSL2 modem, typically purchased from an RSP.
The FTTN network consists of optical fibre from the exchange to a node and a run of copper from the node to the existing distribution area (DA) pillars. A copper pair then runs to each premises. Each node can serve up to 384 homes.[citation needed]
Fibre to the premises (FTTP)
[edit]Fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) connects customers using Ethernet over a gigabit passive optical network (GPON) from the POI to the premises, giving a peak speed of one gigabit per second.[89][90] Initially the preferred technological solution, it is an option for greenfield development with limited use for new or replacement connections.
In customer premises, the NTD provides user-network interface connections through registered jack sockets for voice (UNI-V, RJ11) and modular jacks for data (UNI-D, RJ45). Voice services can be provided through either UNI-V (which provides for support for emulated Plain Old Telephone Services or POTS),[clarification needed] or UNI-D jack (through Voice over IP through data jacks). UNI-V services are also VoIP - the UNI-V port the user interface to a VoIP ATA inside the NTD, which avoids the need for the RSP or user to provide their own VoIP hardware. Configuration of the UNI-V ATA is managed by the RSP via NBN systems.
Data networking in the premises requires a router and/or wireless access point.
Network structure
[edit]A "drop fibre" fibre-optic cable runs from the premises to a "local network" which links a number of premises to a splitter in a fibre distribution hub.[91] A "distribution fibre"[92] cable connects the splitter in the distribution hub to a fibre access node (FAN), which is connected to a POI.[91] Only the fibre access nodes and the equipment on premises require a power supply.[93][94]
The FTTP network is divided into a number of geographical modules.[95] A fibre distribution area includes up to 576 premises linked through a fibre distribution hub. A fibre serving area module comprises 16 fibre distribution areas, which services up to approximately 9,200 premises.[95] A fibre serving area comprises 12 fibre serving area modules connected to a fibre access node, which services up to 110,400 premises. NBN Co planned to build or lease approximately 980 fibre serving areas, servicing up to 37,632,000 premises.[95] Although this figure will continue to change over team as greenfields areas served by FTTP are created, and formerly FTTN and FTTC areas are converted to FTTP.
Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC)
[edit]Hybrid fibre-coaxial is a legacy technology purchased by NBN Co from Telstra[96] and Optus. The Telstra HFC network is being maintained – it was found that the Optus HFC network was uneconomic to bring up to an acceptable standard, with these connections now to be provided by FTTC.[97]
HFC connections use a DOCSIS cable modem as their NTD. The upgrade path for Telstra HFC-connected premises is DOCSIS 3.1.
Fixed wireless
[edit]2,600 transmission towers connected by microwave and optical fibre to exchanges will use TD-LTE 4G mobile broadband technology to cover around 500,000 premises in rural areas. The premises in the fixed wireless area were to be fitted with a roof-mounted antenna allowing a connection to a wireless base station. NBN Co provides a modem with four UNI-D ports. Telephone connections are by VOIP. Where a copper connection is available users requiring connections during electrical power outages are encouraged to keep that.
Network structure
[edit]A 4G LTE fixed wireless network[98] was to link premises to a base station in turn linked to a POI via a backhaul.[99][100] During 2023 and 2024 this network is evolving to using 5G point-to-point radio links for increased service bandwidth.
The 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz spectrums[101] were to be used to deliver these fixed wireless services covering approximately 4 per cent of the non-fibre population.[98] Unlike the mobile networks, only premises can connect to NBN's fixed wireless network.[102]
2,600 transmission towers connected by optical fibre to exchanges will provide TD-LTE 4G mobile broadband technology to cover around 500,000 premises. The number of premises assigned to each base station was to be limited[103] to ensure users received "good service" with adequate throughput.[103] Users at the edge of the coverage for each base station were to receive a peak speed of 12 megabits per second. The speed increases "considerably" closer to the base station.[104]
Satellite service
[edit]Two Sky Muster satellites[105] provide NBN services to locations outside the reach of other technologies, including Christmas Island, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.
A satellite dish is installed on the premises with NBN Co providing an NTD with four UNI-D ports. Where a copper connection is available users requiring connections during electrical power outages are encouraged to keep that.
Sky Muster satellite network
[edit]NBN Co contracted Space Systems/Loral to build and launch two geostationary Ka band satellites in 2015 at a total cost of A$2 billion,[106] each offering eighty gigabits per second of bandwidth.[107][108] The first satellite called Sky Muster (NBN-Co 1A) was launched on 1 October 2015.[109]
Each Ka band satellite offers eighty gigabits per second of bandwidth.[103][107][108] The satellites bounce signals from a satellite dish on the premises to an earth station, known as a "gateway"; the gateway is then connected to a POI via a fibre backhaul.[100][110] The satellite design was "not easy", because the required coverage is about "five per cent of the world's land mass" containing "at least 200,000 premises" spread across "over 7,000 kilometres" of area between Cocos Islands and Norfolk Island.[103]
Sky Muster I (NBN-Co 1A) was launched on 1 October 2015[109] from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, South America, alongside Argentina's ARSAT-2, on an Ariane 5ECA rocket. It became operational in April 2016.[111]
Sky Muster II (NBN-Co 1B) was launched on 5 October 2016 to operate in geostationary orbit of 145° East.[112][113]
Technology Choice Program
[edit]The "Technology Choice Program" provides the option for areas and users to upgrade the technology of their connection (all except HFC connections).[114][115] Individual premises may switch from any FTTx technology to FTTP. Areas are able to switch from:
- FTTB to FTTP
- FTTN to FTTP
- Fixed wireless to FTTP
- Fixed wireless to FTTN
- Fixed wireless to FTTB
- Satellite to Fixed wireless
- Satellite to FTTP
- Satellite to FTTN
- Satellite to FTTB
The Technology Choice Program had limited take-up as of 23 March 2017 with 221 applications received; 113 proceeded to obtaining a quote, and 30 upgrading their connection at an average cost of A$7,395.[116]
End-user issues
[edit]A variety of issues have confronted NBN end users.
Performance
[edit]NBN end users have had difficulty identifying who is responsible for addressing performance issues, due to their relationship being only with their retail service provider.[117]
Voice over IP
[edit]VoIP services on FTTN and FTTB connections require a VDSL modem. Some RSPs allow customers to use their own VDSL modem, and publish the necessary settings to enable VoIP using third party modems. Some modems support both VDSL and ADSL. While older ADSL only modems cannot be used for VDSL (over an FTTN connection), they can be used for FTTP using the Ethernet WAN port if the hardware offers this functionality.[118]
FTTN
[edit]FTTN is reliant on:
- the length of the copper cable. Where the length of copper exceeds 400 m for FTTN (or 150 m for FTTC) speeds drop off. An NBN spokesman said that homes up to 800 metres from a node may only get up to 50 Mbit/s instead of 100, and further than that users can only expect a quarter of the maximum speed, 25 Mbit/s.[119]
- the quality of the copper connection. Where the copper is degraded service reliability and or speed are affected.
Installation issues:
- relating to existing telephony wiring compatibility with VDSL2.[120]
- Craig Levy, Chief operating officer at TPG, stated, "... with NBN FTTN we are not allowed to lodge a fault unless the line performs less than 12 Mbit/s sync speed."[121]
FTTN has had issues with VDSL2 modems being incompatible with NBN FTTN. Attempting to connect an incompatible modem automatically locks a user's service and they are required to contact their service provider to unlock it.[122] NBN Co does not publish a list of compliant modems, rejecting a Freedom of Information request for such a list in 2016.[123]
HFC
[edit]HFC, like FTTN, is a shared service and subject to network congestion.[124]
Satellite
[edit]Sky Muster satellite connections have issues of regarding response times and limited data allowances.
Ongoing extended satellite outages, with ongoing work to improve service.[125][126]
Fixed wireless
[edit]Fixed wireless connections to the NBN have severe issues regarding bandwidth due to massive oversubscription (NBN design documents are supposed to limit each "sector" to 56-110 premises however this is routinely exceeded) as well as issues with latency and limited data allowances.
Connection speeds
[edit]The lack of accurate information on broadband speeds is a significant issue for end users according to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).[127][128] ACCC initiated a broadband performance monitoring program in May 2017.[129][130]
Retail service providers
[edit]NBN Co wholesales Layer 2 network access to retail service providers (RSPs),[131] who retail Internet access and other services.[77] In this respect they strongly represent Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Pricing to RSPs is uniform within each technology regardless of where the service is delivered and across the technologies for the basic package.[132] To provide this uniform pricing, regional and rural areas are cross-subsidised with the lower cost metropolitan areas. However, as RSP costs may vary, retail prices may vary between RSPs.
At February 2017, over 50 Retail Service Providers offered services, with three (Telstra, Optus and TPG) sharing 83% of the market.[133][134] Fibre and fixed wireless plans start from $29.90 per month for the lowest tier of 12/1 megabit per second download/upload speeds[135] and the highest speed tier of 1000/400 for $330 per month.[136]
Connectivity
[edit]To prevent other potential providers from undercutting NBN Co in metropolitan areas, new fibre networks are required to be open access and charge similar prices; these rules are known as the "anti-cherry picking" provisions, which were enacted with other NBN legislation.[137]
Political and industry responses
[edit]Political responses
[edit]When the Rudd Labor opposition first broached its NBN proposal, it was dismissed by the Howard government as unnecessary. It was argued that an upgrade to the current copper networks where "commercial solutions were not always viable" would address the need.[138] In 2009, the Coalition described the NBN as a "dangerous delusion".[139]
National Party Senator Barnaby Joyce said the NBN mirrored a proposal released by their think tank, saying it "delivers a strategic infrastructure outcome" and it is "vitally important that the [NBN] gets to the corners of our country where the market has failed".[140]
Independent MPs Rob Oakeshott,[141] Tony Windsor,[142] Bob Katter[143] and Andrew Wilkie[144] expressed support for NBN. Katter said the NBN is "a great thing for this country".[143] Windsor said the NBN is "too good an opportunity to miss".[142] Family First Party leader Steve Fielding said the NBN will "bring [Australia] up to speed".[145]
The size of the government's investment was a key point of debate. The Coalition called for a cost-benefit analysis, describing the NBN as "a white elephant on a massive scale".[146] The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) criticised the NBN as a "huge cost to the public sector",[147] instead advocating a policy focused on filling "gaps".[148]
The Greens said the NBN "is a key piece of 21st century infrastructure".[149]
Telecommunications stakeholders
[edit]Telecommunication companies Optus,[150][151] iiNet,[150][151] Internode[150] and Vodafone[151] expressed support for the project, along with the Australian Internet Industry Association, which said optical fibre solutions are "a critical part in the evolution of the internet".[152] Internode managing director Simon Hackett said he was "glad [the NBN is] going to go ahead".[150] Vodafone-Hutchison CEO Nigel Dews said the NBN will "transform the competitive landscape".[151] However, other telecommunications companies including AAPT,[153] PIPE Networks[154] and Exetel[155] have expressed opposition to the NBN. AAPT chief executive Paul A. Broad said the NBN will "stifle competition".[153] PIPE Networks founder Bevan Slattery said the NBN is "economically irresponsible".[154] Exetel chief executive John Linton described the NBN as a "political stunt".[155]
Microsoft, Google and Intel expressed support.[150][151] Google's head of engineering, Alan Noble, said the NBN will "be the greatest enabler of innovation". Intel managing director Philip Cronin said "the NBN has the potential to deliver significant long term benefits".[150] The Swinburne University of Technology conducted a survey of Australian Internet usage for the World Internet Project between September 2009 and October 2009. The survey of 1,000 people asked about Internet usage and how it influences daily life.[156] A question was included asking if the NBN was a "good idea"; 74.5 per cent agreed.[157] In the survey, the NBN had stronger support among younger people and Internet users.[158]
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
[edit]Given the market failure found in attempting to develop and implement the replacement telecommunications network a natural monopoly was set up with ACCC safeguarding the interests of end users, access seekers and NBN Co. This is achieved through NBN Co entering into a Special Access Undertaking to govern aspects of NBN design, service and charging until 2040, agreed 2013.[159][160]
Coverage
[edit]Some NBN areas are "brownfield" that were provided directly by NBN Co, but many were new "greenfield" areas in subdivisions that did not have an existing service.[161] Greenfield developments must provide fibre connections, at a cost to the developer (and thus homeowner).[162] Most brownfield areas are near existing exchanges, which presumably already had ADSL.
The NBN Corporate Plan 2011-2013[163] estimated approximately 13 million premises would be covered by the NBN, 12 million using fibre (FTTP). However this plan was abandoned by the incoming Liberal government in 2013.
Blackspots
[edit]In February 2014 the government produced a new MyBroadband[164] website that provided information about access. It showed that 1.6 million premises across Australia either have no access to fixed broadband or very poor broadband connectivity.[165]
Customer uptake
[edit]Premises are considered "passed" when "all design, construction, commissioning and quality assurance activities in a FSAM (Fibre Servicing Area Module) have been completed for the Local network and Distribution network".[166] Certain premises classed as "service class zero" that require extra internal construction such as apartments, town houses, shopping arcades and industrial complexes may not be able to order services, even though their premises had been passed.
NBN Co's stated their usage of "premises passed" was an "accepted industry definition".[166] However, their corporate plan defined "premises passed" as places where "NBN services may be ordered and purchased",[167] causing NBN Co to be accused of "creative accounting".[168]
No aggregate data summarises broadband speeds possible for connectable premises, which has been identified as a significant issue for end users by ACCC.[127][128]
Total number of active NBN connections by access technology (June 2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Speed tier percentage per NBN connection type
[edit]Shows the speed tier as a percentage of total active connections of each NBN connection type (fixed line, satellite and wireless). A customer can choose any speed tier that is available for their service; the speed tier is the maximum download/upload limit of the service.[170]
Speed tier percentage per NBN connection type (June 2019) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Half-yearly data
[edit]The tabulated data of half-yearly statistics for active NBN connections. An active NBN connection is where construction has been completed and a customer has ordered and activated an NBN service.
Type | 2011[171][172] | 2012[171][173][174] | 2013[175][176] | 2014[173] | 2015[177][178] | 2016[179][180][181] | 2017[182] | 2018[183] | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | ||
Fixed wireless |
— | — | 91 | 1 000 | 1 900 | 6 500 | 16 600 | 27 800 | 47 500 | 82 400 | 117 500 | 154 000 | 184 700 | 212 900 | ~200 000 | |
FttN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 600 | 119 700 | 449 300 | 958 000 | 1 529 900 | ~2 100 000 | |
FttP | 600 | 2 300 | 3 900 | 10 400 | 33 600 | 80 100 | 151 100 | 253 800 | 399 900 | 611 000 | 822 700 | 969 700 | 1 072 800 | 1 151 900 | ~1 200 000 | |
HFC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 14 600 | 152 800 | 408 300 | ~400 000 | |
Satellite | 200 | 1 700 | 9 600 | 23 100 | 34 600 | 44 200 | 43 000 | 40 700 | 38 300 | 36 000 | 38 800 | 64 900 | 74 900 | 83 400 | ~100 000 | |
Total | 800 | 4 000 | 13 600 | 34 500 | 70 100 | 130 800 | 210 700 | 322 300 | 485 700 | 736 000 | 1 098 700 | 1 652 500 | 2 443 100 | 3 386 000 | ~4 400 000 |
Type | Speed | 2011[171][172] | 2012[171][173][174] | 2013[175][176] | 2014[173] | 2015[177][178] | 2016[179][180][181] | 2017[182] | 2018[183] | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | Dec | Jun | |||
Fixed line: (FttN, FttP, HFC) |
12/1 | ~43% | 38% | 35% | 33% | 32% | 31% | 29% | 30% | 29% | |||||||
25/5 | ~30% | 38% | 42% | 45% | 49% | 51% | 53% | 52% | 22% | ||||||||
25/10 | ~1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | ||||||||
50/20 | ~4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 37% | ||||||||
100/40 | ~22% | 19% | 18% | 16% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 11% | ||||||||
Satellite (Sky Muster): |
12/1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26% | 33% | 34% | 34% | 32% | |
25/5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 74% | 67% | 66% | 66% | 68% | ||
Wireless: | 12/1 | ~65% | 26% | 20% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 7% | |||||||
25/5 | ~35% | 74% | 80% | 83% | 81% | 79% | 78% | 76% | 74% | ||||||||
50/20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 9% |
See also
[edit]- Internet in Australia
- National Broadband Plan in the United States
- Telecommunications in Australia
- Ultra-Fast Broadband programme in New Zealand
References
[edit]- Notes
- ^ For example, most of Australia's copper network is affected by water due to extensive use of faulty gel for insulation in the past.[2]
- ^ Statements by Abbott and Turnbull on the need for broadband:
- ^
Reports and audit into the NBN commissioned by the Abbott government in 2013
- "Broadband Availability and Quality Report". 20 February 2014.
- Scales, Bill (7 March 2014). "Independent audit of the NBN public policy process looking at the public policy processes that led to the establishment of the NBN in the period April 2008 – May 2010".
- "Media Release: Independent audit of the NBN public policy process". Department of Communications and the Arts. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- Independent cost‐benefit analysis of broadband and review of regulation
- "Volume I – National Broadband Network Market and Regulatory Report". 26 June 2015.
- "Volume II –The costs and benefits of high-speed broadband" (PDF). 27 August 2014.
- ^ a b Plugs may be either 600 series or UNI-D (RJ45, properly 8P8C).
- Sources
- ^ LeMay, Renai (9 March 2011). "NBN: What does 'retail service provider' actually mean?". Delimeter. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- ^ Ross, Nick (19 September 2013). "NBN alternative: Is". ABC News. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ Hutchinson, James (30 April 2010). "Bandwidth demand to reach 1Gbps by 2020: NBN Co CEO". Computerworld. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ "NBN to be 10 times faster - Stephen Conroy". News.com.au. 12 August 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (10 April 2013). "Abbott, Turnbull detail Coalition's 25Mbps broadband plan". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ McDonald, Stephanie (9 September 2013). "In his own words: Tony Abbott on the NBN". Computerworld. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ Egan, Michael (5 September 2008). "A separate company for a broadband network". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
- ^ Sorell, Matthew (2 December 2013). "Senate hearing circus shows politics has no place in NBN". The Conversation. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ^ a b Conifer, Dan (13 June 2016). "Explained: What is happening with the NBN?". ABC News.
- ^ "NBN Co hopes for enterprise saviour after $2 billion blowout". Financial Review. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ ALP: Stephen Conroy, Kevin Rudd and Lindsay Tanner, (March 2007), New directions for communications: a broadband future for Australia: building a national broadband network, Australian Labor Party policy document
- ^ "The National Broadband Network Request for Proposal Process". Australian National Audit Office.
- ^ Eckermann, Robin (1 November 2013). "Getting some reality into debates about NBN FTTP". Australian Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy. 1 (1). doi:10.7790/ajtde.v1n1.13. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ^ Rodgers, Emma (14 September 2010). "Abbott orders Turnbull to demolish NBN". ABC News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ AAP, (14 September 2010), Turnbull back to 'demolish' NBN, Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 July 2010
- ^ NBN Corporate Plan (PDF) (Report). NBN Co. 17 December 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- ^ Corner, Stuart (20 December 2010), ACCC pans NBN Co's 14 point of interconnect plan, wants 120, iTWire, retrieved 27 April 2011
- ^ a b ACCC announces outcome of NBN points of interconnect confirmation process, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, 1 March 2011, archived from the original on 4 June 2011, retrieved 15 July 2011
- ^ LeMay, Renai (20 December 2010), Hundreds of POIs 'insane': Hackett, ZDNet, retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ Moses, Asher; Battersby, Lucy (21 July 2011), NBN retail price revealed: up to $189.95/month, The Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ Tindal, Suzanne (22 July 2011), We never promised a uniform retail NBN price: Conroy, ZDNet, retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ LeMay, Renai (21 December 2010). "Internode warns: New PoI model could consolidate ISP industry | Delimiter". Delimiter. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ First communities for National Broadband Network fixed wireless service unveiled, NBN Co, 3 August 2011, archived from the original on 11 October 2011, retrieved 4 August 2011
- ^ a b NBN Co (1 July 2011), NBN Co launches Interim Satellite Service for rural and remote Australians (PDF), NBN Co, archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2011, retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ NBN Co (26 May 2011), NBN Co releases Interim Satellite eligibility criteria (PDF), NBN Co, archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2011, retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ IPStar Australia Pty Ltd is the Australian subsidiary of Thaicom, registered with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission from 9 December 2003 as an Australian Private Company.
- ^ Taylor, Josh (6 May 2011), NBN awards $300m interim satellite tender, ZDNet, retrieved 6 May 2011
- ^ Lu-YueYang, Maggie (26 March 2012). "Australia blocks China's Huawei from broadband tender". Reuters. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012.
- ^ Keall, Chris (5 November 2018). "Aussie espionage report puts Huawei under more pressure". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018.
- ^ IT Pro, (29 June 2012), We will not cancel the NBN: Turnbull, Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 July 2017
- ^ Archived 13 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine Tim Lohman,(28 October 2010), 12 Mbps enough for all applications: Turnbull, Computerworld
- ^ Rodney Gedda, (29 October 2010), Never say 'that's enough' for any (NBN) application Techworld Australia
- ^ Stilgherrian, (16 August 2010), Coalition broadband: a wireless tower in every street Crikey
- ^ Barrie Cassidy, (15 August 2010), Abbott defends Coalition's broadband plan Insiders
- ^ Turnbull, Malcolm. "NBN Co to roll out new multi-technology mix".
- ^ NBN Co (17 October 2013). "Expert consultants to assist with broadband review". Retrieved 12 November 2013.
- ^ NBN Co (3 November 2013). "Weekly rollout metrics 3rd November 2013" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
- ^ "Subscribe - theaustralian". TheAustralian.com.au. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ Chirgwin, Richard (5 May 2014). "NBN Co puts October date on first FTTB connections". TheRegister.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ Mike Quigley, (September 2015) Exploding Malcolm Turnbull's Myths, ABC Retrieved 10 March 2016
- ^ "Ex-NBN boss pins cost blowout on Coalition". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 November 2015.
- ^ "Former nbn CEO Mike Quigley ends his silence, unloads on government". The Register. 2 November 2015.
- ^ "Turnbull's NBN blowout caused by MTM, says Quigley". Delimiter.com.au. 2 November 2015.
- ^ "Go back to retirement, NBN PR chief tells Quigley". Delimiter.com.au. 2 November 2015.[permanent dead link ]
- ^ Renai LeMay, (5 November 2015), Quigley releases detailed evidence showing MTM NBN cost blowout, Delimiter Retrieved 11 March 2013
- ^ iTnews.com.au (3 June 2015). "NBN hits million premises mark". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ a b Allie Coyne, (16 Aug 2016), NBN passes one million active users on the network, iTnews Retrieved 16 August 2016
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