Re: [LINK] PC report on the USO Inquiry is out
On 22/06/2017 1:02 PM, Narelle wrote: On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 10:33 AM, David Boxall wrote: ... Why is our government trying to kill us? :/ They should be replacing existing copper with fibre, then extending the network. Instead, they've allowed existing land lines to be neglected and now they want to take them out entirely. It's important to note that the Productivity Commission is not "our government". ... The report substantially reflects implications in the original call for submissions. It ignores far too many of the points made against abolishing the USO for fixed lines. IMHO, suspicions that the decision was made - and the report largely written - before the inquiry are well founded; the Productivity Commission came up with the desired conclusions. -- David Boxall| Dogs look up to us | And cats look down on us http://david.boxall.id.au | But pigs treat us as equals --Winston Churchill ___ Link mailing list Link@mailman.anu.edu.au http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
Re: [LINK] PC report on the USO Inquiry is out
On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 10:33 AM, David Boxall wrote: > On 19/06/2017 2:07 PM, Narelle wrote: >> >> Happy reading! >> >> http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/telecommunications/report >> ... NB the word "happy" was not meant to indicate a state of pleasure in the use above... rather a reference to the size of the report... > Why is our government trying to kill us? :/ They should be replacing > existing copper with fibre, then extending the network. Instead, they've > allowed existing land lines to be neglected and now they want to take them > out entirely. It's important to note that the Productivity Commission is not "our government". The report (from my reading so far of the 432 pages) is very much an economic view of the USO. It doesn't run to the sort of society we want to be. It does point to a number of inefficiencies in a range of regulation and policy objectives which are reasonable. As they say, it is a report "to government" not "by government". Eg it is a fact that the USO is outdated, and everyone is locked in to an "opaque" contract with Telstra for some $253m pa just to provide the USO voice service. Meanwhile we have an NBN under construction that lacks obligations to provide a broader range of services. So you get new housing developments without any service at all as NBN will be there, so Telstra won't be... And the ICPA is totally right - if the PC recommendations are implemented alone, then the 90,000 (probably higher IMO) will not get satisfactory voice services especially after the copper continuity guarantees disappear. So that means obligations on NBN need to be beefed up... and we need performance benchmarks... and consumer safeguards that work... > MEDIA RELEASE June 22, 2017 Productivity Commission Fails Rural and Remote > ICPA AUST - ISOLATED CHILDREN'S PARENTS' ASSOCIATION·THURSDAY, 22 JUNE 2017 > > The Isolated Children's Parents Association is extremely disappointed that > the final Report by the Productivity Commission into the Telecommunications > USO has failed to address the importance of a fixed landline for many > residents in rural Australia. > > If the report's recommendations are accepted by the Federal Government, > rural Australians who live in the nbn satellite footprint and rely on a > fixed landline as their principal means of communication, could be forced > onto a sub-standard service. A voice service over satellite internet could > be the only alternative for these families and would be severely compromised > by poor weather, power outages and latency issues. -- Narelle narel...@gmail.com ___ Link mailing list Link@mailman.anu.edu.au http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
Re: [LINK] PC report on the USO Inquiry is out
On 19/06/2017 2:07 PM, Narelle wrote: Happy reading! http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/telecommunications/report ... Why is our government trying to kill us? :/ They should be replacing existing copper with fibre, then extending the network. Instead, they've allowed existing land lines to be neglected and now they want to take them out entirely. MEDIA RELEASE June 22, 2017 Productivity Commission Fails Rural and Remote ICPA AUST - ISOLATED CHILDREN'S PARENTS' ASSOCIATION·THURSDAY, 22 JUNE 2017 The Isolated Children's Parents Association is extremely disappointed that the final Report by the Productivity Commission into the Telecommunications USO has failed to address the importance of a fixed landline for many residents in rural Australia. If the report's recommendations are accepted by the Federal Government, rural Australians who live in the nbn satellite footprint and rely on a fixed landline as their principal means of communication, could be forced onto a sub-standard service. A voice service over satellite internet could be the only alternative for these families and would be severely compromised by poor weather, power outages and latency issues. ICPA Federal President, Mrs Wendy Hick says, "This report shows little consideration for the 90,000 premises across Australia who have no access to mobile phone coverage. We cannot let ‘the last 3%’ be forgotten and put in the too hard basket." ICPA State Presidents are also calling for a rethink on this issue. Mrs Kim Hughes of Queensland says, "A landline is the most important asset for geographically isolated distance education students. This report has recommended the abolishment of the USO by 2020, but provided no solution for those who would have to rely on a voice service over satellite internet, and the impact this would have on educational outcomes. At present, Voice over IP (Internet) is not a viable alternative.” ICPA New South Wales President Mrs Kate Treweeke voiced the concern her state has, “ICPA-NSW members live, work and educate their children in isolated areas that quite often do not have mobile phone service. Satellite VoIP relies on electricity, and satellite internet has data capping restrictions that will provide a much less functional service. The removal of a USO, which currently stipulates 24hr access to landline, would also put these families at greater risk in a life threatening situation.” The Northern Territory, South Australian, Tasmanian and Western Australian ICPA councils have also raised concerns for rural and remote families in their respective States. Access to a reliable landline, especially for those with no mobile phone coverage, is critical for safety of life, education, health and business. It is simply not acceptable to further isolate the most isolated. ICPA Australia implores the Federal Government to put the needs of rural and remote Australians, particularly students who rely on quality telecommunications for their education, at the forefront when considering the recommendations of this Report. ENDS More Information: ICPA Federal President - Wendy Hick – 07 4995 3266 ICPA QLD President - Kim Hughes - 0427 377 985 ICPA NSW President - Kate Treweeke – 02 6829 0498 ICPA WA President - Natasha Johns - 08 9176 1747 -- David Boxall| Australia's problem isn't fake news, | it's fake government. http://david.boxall.id.au |--Ross Gittins Sydney Morning Herald 27 March 2017 ___ Link mailing list Link@mailman.anu.edu.au http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
Re: [LINK] PC report on the USO Inquiry is out
On 19/06/2017 6:47 PM, Nicholas English wrote: ... Australia's consumer watchdog is calling for volunteers to sign up to a broadband speed testing program in an effort to expose the 'real world' speeds provided to households and businesses connecting to the NBN. ... The sad thing is they're not interested in monitoring the most problematic technologies; fixed wireless and satellite. -- David Boxall| My figures are just as good | as any other figures. http://david.boxall.id.au | I make them up myself, and they | always give me innocent pleasure. | --HL Mencken ___ Link mailing list Link@mailman.anu.edu.au http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
Re: [LINK] PC report on the USO Inquiry is out
Meanwhile, less than 5 km from the cbd of melbourne NBN is currently scheduled
for deployment 3+ years, maybe.
ADLS does exist and speed variable +/-5 mbs from approx base of 7 ("7!!!
Lucky!!! in my day it took 7 pigeons to send a word document!!" apologies to
Monty Python)
Skimming the overviews and seeing a rational for abandoning the USO, by
2020(!!!) and no reference to the actual adequacy of the NBN or it being fit
for purpose, adequate for the bulk of regional Australia ("let me just connect
to the sky mustard, oh wait it's the monsoon...")
Don't you just wish you could be testing your actual NBN speeds ...
"Top Stories: Volunteers sought to test advertised NBN speeds
Australia's consumer watchdog is calling for volunteers to sign up to a
broadband speed testing program in an effort to expose the 'real world' speeds
provided to households and businesses connecting to the NBN.
Read the full story
http://ab.co/2sFLVOk";
Nicholas English
Sent from A phone
/-)
> On 19 Jun 2017, at 2:07 pm, Narelle wrote:
>
> Happy reading!
>
> http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/telecommunications/report
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> Narelle
> narel...@gmail.com
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> Link mailing list
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