Aussie NBN network already being bypassed by Next G?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 08 December 2008 07:47

IT Industry - Strategy

With plenty of talk recently about how wireless technologies could make the proposed Australian "National Broadband Network" or NBN redundant, Telstra is already demonstrating an 800km rollout of fibre in the Northern Territory alongside wireless solutions that are serving rural and regional Australia with high-speed broadband – today.

Telstra’s Group MD of the “Telstra Country Wide” division, Geoff Booth, has explained that Telstra has already been rolling out fibre networks in select rural and regional areas, with wireless Next G network technology already able to deliver high-speed wireless broadband to those areas not connected by fibre.

Booth explained that Telstra has recently completed a roll-out of 800km of optical fibre for a transmission link between Jabiru and Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory.
 
“Optical fibre transmission is the critical infrastructure that is required to help rural and remote areas share the benefits of modern and fast broadband telecommunications,” said Booth.

But Booth also said that rural and remote communities should not have to wait for the NBN, and that “the solutions are available now and Government programs have [already] been established”, with everyone simply needing to “get on with the job.”
       
Booth then noted that: “Telstra has a proposal now before Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy for the Australian Broadband Guarantee program to offer subsidised access to fixed wireless broadband using its world-leading Next G network combined with high-grade Yagi antenna.
 
“This solution would use Australia’s largest and fastest national wireless broadband network, which covers 99 per cent of the population, to provide quality broadband at prices that are comparable to ADSL broadband in the cities today.
 
“As soon as we get the go-ahead we are ready to roll out this tremendous product to people in rural and remote areas who are crying out for better broadband.
 
“Regional Australia won’t have to wait for the NBN. If Telstra gets the necessary approvals, regional Australia can start getting this service in a matter of weeks.”

Telstra also warned of needless duplication – please read on to page 2.