A Monopoly Will Keep Us On Cyber Highway's Slow Lane

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday June 13, 2007

Professor Larry Smarr's remarks on the need for a national fibre-optic network are a timely warning to the Federal Government's policymakers ("Australia left for dead, says net guru", June 12). The two proposals before the Federal Government to upgrade Australian broadband infrastructure must be rejected.

Telstra wants to secure its monopoly over the copper network. The opposing G9 consortium of internet service providers wishes to control that network and will exploit monopoly power if given the opportunity. Both proposals will provide business and consumers with only slightly faster internet speed at maybe slightly cheaper prices.

If the Coalition or Labor support either of these plans over a fibre-optic network to premises, Australians may never experience or supply the new generation of video communications, media services and smart gadgetry that a high-speed internet enables.

Peter Rowed Cammeray

Yeah, we have expensive and slow broadband by world standards. True, it's annoying, and we could do so much better. But it's not the end of the world, and it won't put our living standards "in danger of slipping".

I find it a bit hard to imagine that a lack of fibre-optic cable direct to most businesses and households will send us sliding into poverty or, worse, the stone age. Surely there's more to economic growth than a net connection, even in the 21st century.

Then again, if we do suffer because of our slow internet speeds, we only have the Howard Government to blame. Telstra's wholesale and retail divisions should have been separated before its final sell-off. Failing to do so has only led us to the quandary of a self-interested monopolist refusing to act in the national interest, and a lack of serious alternatives.

Brad Ruting Castle Hill

I rely on the internet and email for my work and am constantly hampered by the cost or service limitations imposed by telcos. The complexity of offers is bewildering and designed to reward only the service providers, not Australia.

With these limitations of services it sometimes seems that it would be easier to use a carrier pigeon.

James A. Athanasou Maroubra

Telstra must have a bit of a cash problem. My BigPond account turned up and is twice the normal amount. When I phoned I was told it had decided to charge for the internet accounts in advance now, but "don't worry, your account will be back to normal next month".

Meanwhile, Telstra pockets about $70 a subscriber for its cash tin. Looks like a new email address coming up.

Terry Beath Surry Hills

© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald

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