Plan B for the NBN

If there's a change in government at the next election we know the National Broadband Network (NBN) will be ditched. So is there another way of achieving the objective of providing ubiquitous high speed broadband across the country?

(Credit: Collage by Phil Dobbie/ZDNet Australia)

In this week's Twisted Wire we look to see if there's an alternative plan, for either political party. How can we ensure that there's high-speed internet access in the bush and drive the country to a fibre-enabled future while minimising government investment?

The coalition has been quiet on its alternate telecommunications policy beyond saying that its focus will be on ensuring access to under-served areas. Does that mean it will disband the NBN Co and throw away all the work that has already been done?

• We try and help them formulate a more cohesive strategy with the help of:

• Guy Cranswick, IBRS advisor
• John Stanton, CEO of the Communications Alliance
• Stephen King, dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University
• Dermot Cox, business development manager at C-Cor Broadband

What's your advice to Abbott and Gillard? Should we let the NBN carry on unabated, or is this time for a rethink?

Running time: 29 minutes, 42 seconds