Telstra has revealed it's already testing a 100Mbps upgrade to its cable network -- and may pursue a cable future if any federal decision on fibre-to-the-node does not go the company's way.
Speaking at the company's investor day in Sydney, Telstra's CTO Hugh Bradlow said the company is already experimenting with pre DOCSIS 3.0, an upgrade to its exisitng HFC (hybrid fibre coaxial) cable network.
The experiment is so far providing 75Mbps in Sydney and 100Mbps connectivity over the HFC cable network in Melbourne, Bradlow said.
DOCSIS may also provide a plan B for Telstra in the event that any future fibre-to-the-node decision -- looming on both Coalition and Labor roadmaps -- does not go Telstra's way, according to the telco's CEO Sol Trujillo.
"What we do is we spend our time thinking about options. As CEO, I have to think, if that happens what to we do? ... That's a series of options we've explored. If we need to go left, need to go right or need to go down the middle, that's what we'll do," he said.
"I think if we chose -- and it's an if -- if we chose to roll out a footprint associated with HFC and DOCSIS, it would be equal to or less than [the cost of FTTN], Trujillo added.
Telstra increased speeds across its cable network earlier this year to 17Mbps, and up to 30Mbps in Sydney and Melbourne -- speeds that could also hint at Telstra moving further into IPTV.
"Speed requirements went from 256Kbps a few years ago to multi-megabits now," Bradlow said.
"We're about to enter the video-on-demand era, we know that in an IPTV environment to deliver standard definition [needs] 12Mbps. Very soon high-definition will require the doubling of speeds again [to 25Mbps]."
The difference between a Govt. and public company Telstra. The Govt. could just say that a
certain option was good for the country, all Australians, and get on with it. Public company Telstra can pick and choose options, make country Australia really pay the full price (not Govt. subsidized) and only supply high density areas - like the smaller ISP's do now.
But sooner or later you run out of customers - which is what the smaller ISP's are doing now - and running around like chooks with their heads cut off.
Is Telstra going to join them?
Hell NO! Telstra is bluffing to get a better deal (read higher return, profit, on wholesale) from Labor.
If they are not bluffing, then the customer reach will be sorely diminished - and the investors in Telstra will suffer badly............
If Telstra do not roll out OZ wide FTTN pretty quickly, I'd be bailing out of Telstra shares pretty quick smart. Unless they're for your great-great-grand kids in your will!
And why FTTN? Because you need new services to sell to customers - Grow the Business [As the most overused hip bus. saying at the moment.]
Ofcourse there's education, medicine, trade and countless other benefits - but that's only for the consumer.
~~~
"..DOCSIS may also provide a plan B for Telstra in the event that any future fibre-to-the-node
decision -- looming on both Coalition and Labor roadmaps -- does not go Telstra's way,
according to the telco's CEO Sol Trujillo.
"What we do is we spend our time thinking about options. As CEO, I have to think, if that happens what to we do? ... That's a series of options we've explored. If we need to go left, need to go right or need to go down the middle, that's what we'll do," he said.
"I think if we chose -- and it's an if -- if we chose to roll out a footprint associated with HFC and DOCSIS, it would be equal to or less than [the cost of FTTN], Trujillo added..."
~~~
posted on Whirlpool by chillerbaggins
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=851973
*Has VOTE Poll:: :)
posted Windows Live Spaces - Permalink
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