Despite continuing high levels of public support for the existing FTTP National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout plan, and his claims that his alternative FTTN approach will be “cheaper”, Malcolm Turnbull admitted yesterday that his plan could end up costing just as much in the long run.
| Turnbull’s NBN Could ‘Cost The Same’ In The Long-run |
“When questioned whether the costs in maintaining and replacing parts of the ageing copper infrastructure for premises will end up costing more than the current NBN, where the copper will be replaced with fibre in one go, Turnbull said that ‘probably the prudent thing to is say it’ll cost you the same.'”
Everyone knowledgeable on the subject – (including Turnbull himself) – agrees that FTTP would come eventually, even if we take the intermediate step to FTTN.
When even Turnbull knows that FTTP is the endgame, all of this is remarkable considering his adamant claims that he would deliver it “cheaper, and faster”.
The existing NBN plan delivers that endgame for far cheaper than bouncing through with a politically-motivated middle point.
It’s ridiculous.
FTTN is not even a true intermediate step, as all the field equipment required for an FTTN deployment would become redundant, wasting that investment.
Turnbull also continues to misrepresent how the existing NBN plan is rolled out, claiming that funding a full FTTP rollout upfront – (as is the existing the plan) – would leave much of that investment making no return for “years and years”:
“It’s never a good idea to invest money years and years ahead before there is demand for it because you have got extra investment getting no return.”
Turnbull knows full well that the current rollout out plan sees the existing Telstra copper network decommissioned approximately 18 months after the fibre rollout is completed in each area, which necessarily forces people wishing to maintain a fixed line service – (even if it is just a landline telephone service) – onto the NBN fibre.
Where a return on investment would obviously be made as people pay for that service.
And lets not forget that this is the same copper network Telstra said had only fifteen years of life left in it…in 2003.
The same copper network Turnbull’s alternate plan relies on, and the same copper network that is routinely maintained using plastic bags.
For someone striving for credibility for his alternative policy – (which has been roundly criticised as inadequate for future needs, and even described as “economic lunacy”) – such an admission that his plan would probably end up costing as much as the existing plan once a later upgrade is performed, is remarkable.
We already know the Coalition is happy to lie about the existing plan, just to try and make a political point.
Now his credibility on the matter is now strained even further.