Computing Assistance Support & Education Inc – CASE Notes

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting to day that Telstra and OPEL have failed to secure a contract to roll out a national fibre network in Australia. This is potentially good news. The same political logic that says private business is the best and most effective choice for a service provider also says that there’s no way any business can provide broadband to the bush without losses. It makes no business sense to roll fibre out to rural areas. In Australia at least, the Internet should be seen more like a utility alongside water and power. Given our vast geographic arrangement, only the government has the capacity to provide this for our entire population. But have they got the tech smarts to pull it off?

In a shock decision this morning, the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, announced that none of five bidders including Optus and Melbourne group Acacia for a national network were up to scratch.Under the new plans, the funding for the network offering speeds of up to 100 megabits per second will be provided by a national broadband network corporation in which the Government will be the majority shareholder.

$15b national broadband network (NBN) on way

Some very interesting news being carried by the Sydney Morning Herald today regarding the ongoing decision making process that should lead to a national broadband network for Australia..

“Telstra has been excluded from the national broadband network tender process after being informed its bid fails to meet some of the project’s stated requirements.

The telco says it was excluded because its proposal did not include a plan on how to involve small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the building of the network.

The move to exclude Telstra leaves just five bidders for the multi-billion dollar project.”

Telstra bumped from broadband project – BizTech – Technology – smh.com.au

ABCnews.net.au is carrying this story detailing significant union action being taken against Telstra:

The union representing Telstra workers says employees will take industrial action at the company for first time in more than a decade.The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union says the telco has refused to negotiate a collective agreement, and an overwhelming majority of Telstra employees have voted in favour of taking action.Union spokesman Ed Husic says trying to secure wage agreements for workers at the company has been an uphill battle.

Telstra workers to take action: union – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)