Abbott: 1Gb broadband is 'utterly implausible'

James Riley
Thursday, 12 August 2010 15:44

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Opposition leader Tony Abbott has dismissed claims by the NBN Company that it will deliver broadband speeds of 1Gbps – ten times faster than the 100Mbps already promised – as an election ploy conjured by the Gillard government.

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With little more than a week before the federal election, Mr Abbott said NBN Company's Mike Quigley’s announcement of a ten-fold increase in broadband speeds was just politics, not to be taken seriously.

"It's very hard to take seriously a government which suddenly pulls yet another technological rabbit out of a hat just because it's under enormous pressure in the closing stages of an election campaign," Mr Abbott said during a press conference at Penrith RSL club.

"This idea that 'hey presto' we are suddenly going to get ten times the speed from something that isn’t even built yet I find utterly implausible," Mr Abbott said.

Mr Quigley today detailed plans to now offer customers 1Gbps speeds at an Australian Information Industry Association luncheon in Sydney. Previously NBN Co had committed to speeds of 100Mbps for homes and business connected directly to the fibre network.

Earlier, at a ceremony to officially 'switch on' the National Broadband Network in Tasmania, Prime Minister Julia Gillard recommitted to building the new national fibre network, and said broadband policy offered voters a stark choice between the major parties.

"The choices, as we move toward election day, could not be clearer," Ms Gillard said.

"I will build the national broadband network. Mr Abbott, if he is elected as Prime Minister, will not. That decision will cost Australian jobs."