NBN - Everything you need to know about the National Broadband Network

Win a copy of Wired Brown Land

By Renai LeMay, ZDNet.com.au

30 April 2009 12:56 PM

Tags: wired brown land, broadband, national broadband network, nbn, optus, paul fletcher, telstra, promoter

(Credit: UNSW Press)

We've got a few copies of former Optus executive Paul Fletcher's new book Wired Brown Land? Telstra's Battle for Broadband floating around the office and it's time to pass one on.

The book, which is published by UNSW Press and launched this week, details the history of broadband in Australia and, our telco writer Suzanne Tindal writes in her review, highlights why it is impossible that Telstra will give up its fight for dominance, despite the wounds it has recently taken.

Our latest episode of Twisted Wire also features an interview with the author himself.

To win your own copy of Wired Brown Land, answer the following question in the talkback below this article, in 25 words or less.

The ZDNet.com.au editorial team will choose the entry which is the most creative and engaging after a week of discussion and announce the winner on Monday, 11 May. Terms and conditions here.

"What will be the best use for the Federal Government's National Broadband Network?"

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Talkback 47 comments

Add your opinion

Pirating Nathan Wahl -- 30/04/09

We all just want to download our Heroes and Lost faster. Oh, you meant the "official" reason. The children need Wikipedia faster.

@pirating Thomas -- 01/05/09 (in reply to #320133249)

You know thats not far from what the average Joe thinks. They think we don't need the speed, its fast enough.
Tell that to businesses that are virtually crippled every day by poor connections and crappy infrastructure.

It's elementary... Anonymous -- 30/04/09

The best use will be getting Stephen Conroy's wise words to every man, woman, and child so much faster. He's very technomologicalol.

Best use of NBN? Simon -- 30/04/09

Providing Internet services.

The NBN.. Simon G -- 30/04/09

As the NBN will remain a large stack of paper, the best use will be to recycle this paper into a National ISP Users Guide.

Local innovation Anonymous -- 30/04/09

It'll allow for applications that aren't viable today. I've an OS that net-boots in ~5 minutes at 1.5 megabit. At 100 we'd be counting seconds.

NBN Rick -- 30/04/09

4 dimensional porn.
(It really need a lot of bandwidth)

And loads of other services that we have not yet even imagined.

Back to the future Wayne McCullough -- 01/05/09

The best use of the NBN? - bringing Australia into the 20th century.. kinda fitting now that we're in the 21st. Thanks for nothing Telstra!

Faster, Better, more spin Ian Appleby -- 01/05/09

See all of Kev07's media moments in new ultra fast high definition streaming media. Don't miss a moment of the facinating Kev24x7 lifestyle program.

slower, worse, still more spin Anonymous -- 01/05/09 (in reply to #320133482)

that explains why we have only had dial up until now ian. that's all we needed to watch mr howard and his achievements. but then mr howard did invent a time machine and took us all the way back to the 50's, didn't he?

$$$ Anonymous -- 01/05/09

Helping residential customers reach and exceed paltry bandwidth cap limits faster.

Even more sophisticated virus attacks Anonymous -- 01/05/09

The faster the speed, the faster and more widespread the attack. Buy your virus checker and firewall and get the economy moving.

Lifelong Education Anonymous -- 01/05/09

The high speed broadband allows everyone to continue their education online, especially for those who were made redundant in the current economic crisis.

Teleportation Geoff -- 01/05/09

We could even devote some of the federal stimulus package to developing the CPE.

Faster Speed Michael Bell -- 01/05/09 (in reply to #320133509)

The faster the speed of the internet is best for all, especially those that rely on speed, rather than the snail pace that it is,

In 25 words or less... Anonymous -- 01/05/09

Things we could never have thought of today, and that's the point.

What will be the best use for the Federal Government's National Broadband Networ Anonymous -- 01/05/09

"The world market has a total capacity of 25 computers."
"Why would a computer need more that 64K memory?"

The above are memorable quotes. We don't know what will happen when we have that much capacity but it will eventuate in changes that we cannot anticipate. A paradigm shift.

Multi-dimensioned - their isn't one Anonymous -- 01/05/09

Regulatory, Competition;
The NBN will separate access from services so consumers will be able to buy services (Voice, ISP, IPTV etc) from a multitude of service providers finally breaking Telstra's natural competitive advantage and power base.

Business;
Even today a business location decision criteria is the access to competitive scale communication services, the broad coverage ambition of the NBN will provide greater flexibility in locations. It will also provide greater access to telecommuting solutions.

Environmental;
The NBN will allow the more efficient management of many industries - the transformation of dumb electricity distribution networks into intelligent self healing efficient networks. Creating the ability to implement power efficient smart homes and businesses, with surplus local power generation (wind/solar) being pumped back into the grid; and the efficient control and cycling of smart appliances.

More efficient control of transport and other industries which have a major impact on the environment.

The control and management of supply constrained commodities and natural resources, e.g. a reduction in the water distribution lose by effective monitoring and control.

Finally Wireless:
There are applications and services that are best provided by wireless. Expand the NBN to provide wireless broadband access.

Backhaul is a major cost in wireless deployment the NBN will have this in abundance.

The worst case for the digital dividend spectrum is for it to go to businesses looking to maintain barriers to entry. Better for a guarantee that a wide coverage network is deployed and hence the economic returns that AMTA espouses are realised.

Best use of NBN Philip Leitch -- 01/05/09

Create a massive grid using idle CPUs and the NBN. WeÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½d be asleep when US/UK could use it.

Each person getting a % of sales.

NBN is essential Anonymous -- 01/05/09

It's vital that we spend >$54bn on our national network.

That will then give us about the same access speeds as we have now after Krudd and Conjob have secretly insisted that the NBN must include The Filter.

Rabbits Ben Walker -- 01/05/09

So we can find out exactly how many rabbits were kept out when Nasi Goreng built the Great Wall of China...

One happy grandma Anonymous -- 01/05/09

I mean she can have google find her cooking recipes on the Interwebbie that much faster

The NBN will... Mike Mudd -- 01/05/09

...enable Australia to be truly innovative and make a meaningful contribution to reducing its carbon footprint per head from being the highest on the planet.

NBN Importants Granny Fae -- 01/05/09

It will shoot lightning, and make coffee, and control the weather so its always sunny, and it'll taser criminals for us, and all sorts of wonderful kajiggas, thank you mr rudd, i sure hope that dear mr conroyh puts that filter on soon to stop all those nasty people on the internet, i might bake him 1 of my carrot cakes as a thank you, have you read about them on my blog? no? not to worry deary with this new fangled NBN i can upload video of me cooking 24/7, you'll never miss a moment

aggghhh Anonymous -- 01/05/09 (in reply to #320133604)

very funny, back to class now, teachers calling!

NBN Anthony Eden -- 01/05/09

The NBN will stimulate the economy by providing countless jobs over the next 10 years in the planning + construction, and heaps more jobs for the maintenance of the network - in the long term. I consider it to be the Harbour Bridge of 2009.

Tomb stone epitaph Basso -- 01/05/09

The best use will be as the epitaph on Leggo Rud's tombstone, as it will never happen.

yeah yeah, liberal stooge Anonymous -- 01/05/09 (in reply to #320133611)

there's always got to be one, doesn't there!

best use of NBN Anonymous -- 01/05/09

It's a virtual world.
The best use will be to spread virtual money, like the Stimulus packages.

It stinks! sceptic -- 01/05/09

The 'new' NBN will allow T$ to participate in the NBN it stuffed up it's bid for...

Hey, If I were one of the valid bidders, I'm sure we could spread some 'stimulus' money around a few good QCs.

Oh, but since there's no registered company running it, I guess we'll have to make that happen in a virtual courtroom. Is judge Judy available, she'll sort it out!

And, was this T$'s plan all along?

@it stinks! Anonymous -- 01/05/09 (in reply to #320133617)

the fact that no one won the tender has shown that none of the bidders were worthy. but you single out telstra!

@it stinks! Anonymous -- 02/05/09 (in reply to #320133673)

Yeah, that's right, what has poor little Telstra ever done wrong?

Apart from holding our comms standard about fifteen years behind the times, using monopoly power to shut out competition and screwing us blind.

@it stinks Anonymous -- 02/05/09 (in reply to #320134203)

and the others?

The Best Use? Competition! Anonymous -- 01/05/09

The National Broadband Network creates a level playing field. This stimulates genuine competition and ensures lower prices. No matter what data flows over the cables!

What ever Anonymous -- 02/05/09

The best use for the NBN should decided by the Australian 'User/Taxpayers/voter'.
Power to the people...NBN is just one tool created by the people - For the people!

Kevin 07, Next! Anonymous -- 02/05/09

"Cos Kevin 2010 needs an NBN !

best use of the NBN Karl Geppert -- 04/05/09

The best use would appear to be to let the government stick it to Telstra.

I suppose it could have some side benefits in supporting the on-demand lifestyle. Information and entertainment, when, where and how I want it.

It's what we deserve Guy Ritchie -- 04/05/09

Give us battlers (who actually drive this country) services they deserve.

services they deserve Davo -- 04/05/09 (in reply to #320134465)

The Australian people already get the services they deserve. If they want to get something better, then they need to get off their lazy butts and do something about it! Time for Australians to stop being sooo complacent!

Own TV station Anonymous -- 04/05/09

Share out MythTV recordings, videos, music, photos, live shows to extended family around the globe.

The best use for the NBN? Jason Mizzi -- 04/05/09

The NBN will allow australians to become connected in more places more often with fast speeds, all to late tho should of been introduced 9 years ago.

NBN Simon -- 04/05/09

Set up a network for education and research sharing that will facilitate collaboration and accelerate research for the nation. (AARPNet Agency for Advanced Research Projects )

Deliver new services Anonymous -- 04/05/09

Services we do not know and service we know such as IPTV and services bound by our imagination such as holograms.

Get ahead of the pack. Jack Webster - Toastpaint -- 05/05/09

To keep up with the rest of the world in areas such as Media and E-Commerce that require masses of bandwidth.

Winner? Anonymous -- 13/05/09

Who won??????????

I did Anonymous -- 14/05/09 (in reply to #320136052)

Na, not really

It's obvious David Havyatt -- 22/05/09

What will be the best use of the NBN? Why reading ZDNet faster of course.