Election 2013: Broadband Election 2013: Broadband

Of all the election issues watched by the tech sector, the national broadband network has enlivened the most debate.

The Coalition released its broadband policy ahead of many of its other policies, promising to deliver a fibre-to-the-node network for 25 percent less than Labor’s $44.1 billion fibre-to-the-home network.

Here’s how the policies stack up:

Labor

  • $44.1 billion fibre to the home network (to be delivered by June 2021), with 97 percent fibre coverage and the remainder a mix of satellite and fixed wireless.
  • Network to deliver download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds of 400 Mbps, depending on the plan purchased.
  • Wholesale pricing structure fixed, with NBN Co remaining the monopoly provider.
  • Wholesale price capped at $24 per month for 12 Mbps download/1 Mbps upload speed, frozen for five years, and subsequent increases limited to less than the price of inflation.

    • Coalition

  • $29.5 billion mostly fibre-to-the-node premises (to be delivered by June 2015), with 71 percent FTTN and 22 percent FTTP on greenfields sites, and the remainder a mix of satellite and fixed wireless.
  • Network to deliver download speeds of up to 50 Mbps for the FTTN connections and 1 Gbps for FTTP connections. Upload speeds for FTTN connections of up to 10 Mbps and 400 Mbps for FTTP connections.
  • Wholesale pricing structure capped by the ACCC, with competing broadband access networks allowed.
  • Wholesale price forecast to be $38 per month in 2021, with a user pays policy for those wishing to connect the ‘last mile’ to their home with fibre.

    • Greens

  • Support Labor’s NBN policy.
  • Amended policy to ensure any future moves to privatise the NBN would be subject to a review to protect the public interest, requiring the approval of Parliament.

    • NBN Co sees influx of customers into residential gigabit tier

    NBN Co sees influx of customers into residential gigabit tier

    Posts largest quarterly increase in users in three years.
    Ry Crozier May 29 2024 5:50PM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co to fibre new estate on Sydney's outskirts

    NBN Co to fibre new estate on Sydney's outskirts

    Intends to enable a smart community setup.
    Ry Crozier May 21 2024 6:25AM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co starts talking about 2Gbps plans

    NBN Co starts talking about 2Gbps plans

    Also signals potential upload speed boost for 'ultrafast' tier.
    Ry Crozier May 16 2024 3:02PM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co hits 6050 fibre upgrades a week in the first 17 weeks of the year

    NBN Co hits 6050 fibre upgrades a week in the first 17 weeks of the year

    Quickly moves from 197,000 to "over 300,000" completions.
    Ry Crozier May 2 2024 6:33AM Telco/ISP
    NBN HFC users can expect a speed boost from May 1

    NBN HFC users can expect a speed boost from May 1

    Wholesale speed caps being removed.
    Richard Chirgwin Apr 8 2024 6:20AM Telco/ISP
    Gigabit NBN services boosted by flat-rate pricing

    Gigabit NBN services boosted by flat-rate pricing

    SamKnows data shows performance uptick.
    Richard Chirgwin Mar 27 2024 2:02PM Telco/ISP
    Optus, TPG stop servicing 50Mbps customers with higher plans

    Optus, TPG stop servicing 50Mbps customers with higher plans

    As bandwidth offset benefits come to an end.
    Ry Crozier Mar 15 2024 6:37AM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co wants to boost its 100/20Mbps tier to 500/50Mbps

    NBN Co wants to boost its 100/20Mbps tier to 500/50Mbps

    Proposes to shake up all three top-tier plans.
    Ry Crozier Mar 5 2024 7:12AM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co receiving more fibre orders than it can connect

    NBN Co receiving more fibre orders than it can connect

    As number of customers upgraded to fibre approaches 200,000.
    Richard Chirgwin Feb 8 2024 11:23AM Telco/ISP
    Tower could be cantilevered over Telstra exchange

    Tower could be cantilevered over Telstra exchange

    Under NSW proposal.
    Richard Chirgwin Jan 31 2024 11:53AM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co turns to AI to improve network management

    NBN Co turns to AI to improve network management

    Improving service quality and reliability.
    Brad Howarth Jan 11 2024 10:00AM Networking
    Interactive boosts UCC Coffee’s network to optimise employee experience

    Interactive boosts UCC Coffee’s network to optimise employee experience

    UCC Coffee faced many challenges adapting to the pandemic and then the post-lockdown world.
    Staff Writer Dec 13 2023 1:21PM Partner Content
    NBN Co sets no new fibre take-up target

    NBN Co sets no new fibre take-up target

    Despite metric being "fundamental" to achieving its service ambitions.
    Ry Crozier Nov 9 2023 5:04PM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co to upgrade 53,000 underperforming FTTN users to fibre

    NBN Co to upgrade 53,000 underperforming FTTN users to fibre

    By the middle of 2024.
    Ry Crozier Nov 9 2023 4:05PM Telco/ISP
    NBN retailers put under watch as price model shifts

    NBN retailers put under watch as price model shifts

    Translation of new wholesale pricing being closely observed.
    Ry Crozier Nov 2 2023 12:51PM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co to permanently cut prices of high uplink plans

    NBN Co to permanently cut prices of high uplink plans

    Publishes three-year pricing roadmap and strategy.
    Ry Crozier Nov 1 2023 7:14PM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co to make fewer ACT premises gigabit-capable

    NBN Co to make fewer ACT premises gigabit-capable

    Through its FTTN overbuild program.
    Ry Crozier Oct 25 2023 11:49AM Telco/ISP
    NBN speeds hit 20Gbps in live network trial

    NBN speeds hit 20Gbps in live network trial

    Showing off new Nokia kit.
    Richard Chirgwin Oct 25 2023 10:13AM Telco/ISP
    NBN Co renews AI-led vision for network fault detection and remediation

    NBN Co renews AI-led vision for network fault detection and remediation

    Having tried a version of it back in 2018.
    Ry Crozier Oct 23 2023 12:40PM Software
    NBN Co is now upgrading 5000 premises a week to FTTP

    NBN Co is now upgrading 5000 premises a week to FTTP

    While also looking at how it can push wireless speeds past 325Mbps.
    Ry Crozier Oct 19 2023 11:55AM Telco/ISP

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