Australia to have fastest internet - by 2100

By Sam Varghese
Tuesday, 07 April 2009 05:26

Networking

Once again, Australians are being promised a broadband network that will provide speeds that are 100 times faster than what they have at present.
I'd be really happy if some company or group could build something that just doubles the 6 to 8 Mbps that I get at the moment. Provided it happens in my lifetime.

I don't mind if North Korea can provide it. Or even Iran. I'd just like to use something that works at a decent speed before I die.

I shouldn't be one of the people complaining. I'm with one of the better providers in this vast brown land. And I am using ADSL2+.

I only wish I had bought a house closer to the telephone exchange. That last 2 kilometres of copper kills every benefit that I'm told this technology offers. I hate copper.

One of the reasons I voted Labor at the 2007 election was the promise of decent broadband. The 100-plus factor was mentioned at that time too.

I'm unlikely to vote the same way in 2010 because of the same promise. And I think many other voters will think the same way.

Talk of decent broadband in this country is beginning to resemble talk about the unicorn.

Most people who have access to what is called broadband still struggle with 1.5 Mbps. I know people in the bush who live off 56K modems and curse every time they have to download something bigger than a few meg.

CONTINUED