Govt broadband plan creates more questions than answers: Internode
Dan Warne18 June 2007, 6:46 AM
Internode's outspoken CEO Simon Hackett has voiced hesitations about the Government's broadband plan that was announced today.
 Internode CEO Simon Hackett: sees some good in the government's broadband plan, but says there's not enough detail on the table yet. |
Outspoken ISP Internode has warned that the Government's broadband plan, announced today, creates more questions than answers about Australia's broadband future.
In a statement, Internode said positive highlights included the Optus/Elders regional broadband venture, which would increase competitive pressures on backhaul pricing.
The company also said it was good that the government honored its promise to include the competition regulator, the ACCC, on its Expert Panel which is evaluating the competing Telstra and G9 fibre bids.
Internode managing director Simon Hackett said these decisions recognised the value of competition in delivering the best broadband for Australia. "The problem is that the devil is in the details and we don't have the details yet," he said.
"After months of silence, this announcement actually adds more questions than answers. Both the broadband industry and the consumers of Australia await the details - soon - to allow proper assessment of whether this initiative is good, bad, or indifferent for Australia."
Hackett said the announcement held no positive news for residents in regions where Internode was building widescale wireless broadband networks until the Federal Government suddenly cancelled the Broadband Connect scheme in March. "The Australian Broadband Guarantee process remains stalled," he said.
"The guidelines and application forms are still not available for the intended July 1 start. We were promised that the Coorong and Yorke Peninsula networks would not be 'left in the lurch', but they are still right there in that lurch so far, with no clear sign of how that will be resolved.
"There is no rational way to form a belief that the Government's Expert Panel can magically resolve the Telstra FTTN impasse before the election - if that is the aim - in a manner that will actually protect consumer interests. There is a difference between speed and unseemly expediency here."
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