Based on research and investigation of the following issues prepare a shortwritten report (1000-1500 words).

In providing Australia with high speed broadband services, the major telecommunication and political players of the country have advocated different views. In one approach, the National Broadband Network (NBN) is based on Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). This approach has the support of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), claiming “The original Labor NBN would have delivered optic fibre to 93 per cent of homes and businesses, providing speeds of up to one gigabit per second on a network easily scalable to much higher speeds in the future….”

[https://cdn.australianlabor.com.au/documents/Labors_Positive_NBN_Policy.pdf] (accessed August 2018.) It is based on the following points.

• “The ALP’s NBN relies on a taxpayer-funded monopoly taking a decade to get fibre optic cable to 93 per cent of buildings in the country (12 million premises) at a capital cost of $37.4billion and total funding of $44.1 billion.
• Potential download speed: FTTP customers: 100 Mbps – 1 Gbps (can go down to 12 Mbps, depending on package chosen). Fixed wireless customers: 25 Mbps. Satellite customers: 6 Mbps (increasing to 25 Mbps when new satellites launch in 2015)
• Completion date: 2021
• Competition: NBN is monopoly wholesale network.” Source: ABC News, Greg Jennett, Broadband policy: where the parties stand, updated 13 Aug 2013, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-10/ federal-election/4660778 (accessed August 2018.)

There are also opposing views to this approach. For example, some prefer greater investment in ‘fixed wireless broadband’ technologies, particularly 5G, or demand more private sector involvements and avoiding government monopoly. For instance, broadband service using the 5G standards are being planned at data rates, latency, and prices that can seriously challenge to the NBN.  Source: Computerworld, Rohan Pearce, Optus 5G service to challenge NBN, 31 January 2019, https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/656934/optus5g-service-challenge-nbn/, (accessed August 2019.) The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Communications Market Report 2017–18 sees 5G wireless services can be in competition with broadband services over the NBN and as such, may need some protection in terms of auctioned frequencies. Source: ACCC & AER annual report 201718,  www.accc.gov.au/annualreports (accessed August 2019).

Current Australian Government and the Federal Coalition, arguing that the NBN in its original proposed form was too expensive, has opposed it since its inception.

The Coalition argue, “Our estimate… is that this project will require total funding from the government of $94 billion…. If you combine a more realistic approach to pricing and a less expensive network to service, you can see that broadband costs are considerably lower under the Coalition. Now this is a critical point because the biggest barrier to internet access is not technology, it is affordability...” [https://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/transcript-launchof-the-coalition-broadband-policy] (accessed August 2018.) This can also be seen from the following information.

“The Coalition’s NBN network would take fibre to neighbourhood cabinets or ‘nodes’, leaving existing copper cables to connect the final few hundred metres to the home or business. Its Fibre to the Node (FFTN) network has a capital cost of $20.4 billion and total funding of $29.5 billion. 

• Potential download speed: FTTN ‘minimum’ 25-100 Mbps by end 2016. 50-100 Mbps by end 2019 for ‘vast majority’.
• Completion date: 2019
• Competition: Policy is to ‘remove or waive impediments to competition.’ Practically, could allow Telstra and Optus to compete, using existing networks designed for PayTV.
• Pricing: Wholesale price cap set by ACCC.” Source: ABC News, Greg Jennett, Broadband policy: where the parties stand, Updated 13 Aug 2013, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-10/broadband-policy-explainer-federalelection/4660778 (accessed August 2018.)

The Coalition Government has also released aCost-benefit analysis of the Labor’s NBN.

“The 200-page report claims that the Coalition’s preferred mixed technology NBN has net benefits, relative to Labor’s FTTP build, of $16 billion which is comprised of lower costs (around $10 billion) and higher benefits (around $6 billion)…..However it fails to account for and disclose how much it would cost to upgrade the Coalitions’ mixed technology approach to a   fully-fledged     fibre-to-the-premise    model..” [https://www.communications.gov.au/departmental-news/independent-cost-benefit-analysisnbn] (accessed August 2018.)

“Labor communications spokesman Jason Clare said the report was ‘tainted’ by the involvement of figures such as longstanding NBN critic Henry Ergas…..Mr Clare said the government had a ‘myopic’ view that fast broadband was just about video games and failed to see its wider social benefits.” Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (28 August 2014), Matthew Knott, Malcolm Turnbull: NBN plan won’t change despite massive cost for rural coverage, http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/government-it/malcolm-turnbull-nbn-plan-wont-change-despitemassive-cost-for-rural-coverage-20140828-109dq7.html (accessed August 2018.)

Which approach is better for providing high speed broadband access in Australia?

Identify the controversies, various sides of the story (pros and cons for each) to compare and critically analyse these approaches. Please do not forget that your work and any conclusions reached, or any opinions expressed, must be comprehensive, fully justified, and free of emotions. It must be based on research that is founded on a strong and systemic literature review.

Based on research and investigation of the following issues prepare a shortwritten report (1000-1500 words).

In providing Australia with high speed broadband services, the major telecommunication and political players of the country have advocated different views. In one approach, the National Broadband Network (NBN) is based on Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). This approach has the support of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), claiming “The original Labor NBN would have delivered optic fibre to 93 per cent of homes and businesses, providing speeds of up to one gigabit per second on a network easily scalable to much higher speeds in the future….”

[https://cdn.australianlabor.com.au/documents/Labors_Positive_NBN_Policy.pdf] (accessed August 2018.) It is based on the following points.

• “The ALP’s NBN relies on a taxpayer-funded monopoly taking a decade to get fibre optic cable to 93 per cent of buildings in the country (12 million premises) at a capital cost of $37.4billion and total funding of $44.1 billion.
• Potential download speed: FTTP customers: 100 Mbps – 1 Gbps (can go down to 12 Mbps, depending on package chosen). Fixed wireless customers: 25 Mbps. Satellite customers: 6 Mbps (increasing to 25 Mbps when new satellites launch in 2015)
• Completion date: 2021
• Competition: NBN is monopoly wholesale network.” Source: ABC News, Greg Jennett, Broadband policy: where the parties stand, updated 13 Aug 2013, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-10/ federal-election/4660778 (accessed August 2018.)

There are also opposing views to this approach. For example, some prefer greater investment in ‘fixed wireless broadband’ technologies, particularly 5G, or demand more private sector involvements and avoiding government monopoly. For instance, broadband service using the 5G standards are being planned at data rates, latency, and prices that can seriously challenge to the NBN.  Source: Computerworld, Rohan Pearce, Optus 5G service to challenge NBN, 31 January 2019, https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/656934/optus5g-service-challenge-nbn/, (accessed August 2019.) The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Communications Market Report 2017–18 sees 5G wireless services can be in competition with broadband services over the NBN and as such, may need some protection in terms of auctioned frequencies. Source: ACCC & AER annual report 201718,  www.accc.gov.au/annualreports (accessed August 2019).

Current Australian Government and the Federal Coalition, arguing that the NBN in its original proposed form was too expensive, has opposed it since its inception.

The Coalition argue, “Our estimate… is that this project will require total funding from the government of $94 billion…. If you combine a more realistic approach to pricing and a less expensive network to service, you can see that broadband costs are considerably lower under the Coalition. Now this is a critical point because the biggest barrier to internet access is not technology, it is affordability...” [https://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/transcript-launchof-the-coalition-broadband-policy] (accessed August 2018.) This can also be seen from the following information.

“The Coalition’s NBN network would take fibre to neighbourhood cabinets or ‘nodes’, leaving existing copper cables to connect the final few hundred metres to the home or business. Its Fibre to the Node (FFTN) network has a capital cost of $20.4 billion and total funding of $29.5 billion. 

• Potential download speed: FTTN ‘minimum’ 25-100 Mbps by end 2016. 50-100 Mbps by end 2019 for ‘vast majority’.
• Completion date: 2019
• Competition: Policy is to ‘remove or waive impediments to competition.’ Practically, could allow Telstra and Optus to compete, using existing networks designed for PayTV.
• Pricing: Wholesale price cap set by ACCC.” Source: ABC News, Greg Jennett, Broadband policy: where the parties stand, Updated 13 Aug 2013, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-10/broadband-policy-explainer-federalelection/4660778 (accessed August 2018.)

The Coalition Government has also released aCost-benefit analysis of the Labor’s NBN.

“The 200-page report claims that the Coalition’s preferred mixed technology NBN has net benefits, relative to Labor’s FTTP build, of $16 billion which is comprised of lower costs (around $10 billion) and higher benefits (around $6 billion)…..However it fails to account for and disclose how much it would cost to upgrade the Coalitions’ mixed technology approach to a   fully-fledged     fibre-to-the-premise    model..” [https://www.communications.gov.au/departmental-news/independent-cost-benefit-analysisnbn] (accessed August 2018.)

“Labor communications spokesman Jason Clare said the report was ‘tainted’ by the involvement of figures such as longstanding NBN critic Henry Ergas…..Mr Clare said the government had a ‘myopic’ view that fast broadband was just about video games and failed to see its wider social benefits.” Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (28 August 2014), Matthew Knott, Malcolm Turnbull: NBN plan won’t change despite massive cost for rural coverage, http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/government-it/malcolm-turnbull-nbn-plan-wont-change-despitemassive-cost-for-rural-coverage-20140828-109dq7.html (accessed August 2018.)

Which approach is better for providing high speed broadband access in Australia?

Identify the controversies, various sides of the story (pros and cons for each) to compare and critically analyse these approaches. Please do not forget that your work and any conclusions reached, or any opinions expressed, must be comprehensive, fully justified, and free of emotions. It must be based on research that is founded on a strong and systemic literature review.