Yes for an independent review.
I pledged $100 last night.
I don't think the answers to these questions will make any difference at all politically.
But I pledged for 2 reasons:
1) We need to have sensible debate and research on this coming from a non-political source.
2) If the crowd funding project reaches at least the minimum target it will highlight that this is an important topic for many Australians - so much so that they are willing to pay money to get the real facts.
I hope they expand enough on the 2nd question to include cost comparison.
My personal answers would go like this:
----- What do we REALLY NEED? ----
No we don't need it. Communities live perfectly fine without internet. Some do without electricity as well.
Although we don't NEED a fibre NBN - if we WANT to be competitive and perhaps even a leader in technology, education, research (etc)... Then we really SHOULD have a fibre network. I would also use future profits to continue expanding this network as much as possible.
Having a reliable and fast communication technology will allow a generation of inspiration and experimentation to dream up ideas that cannot current exist.
Do we need it? No. Should we do it. Yes.
----- What's the BEST TECHNOLOGY to build with? -----
Near 100% Fibre – With a mix of other supporting technologies.
----- What happens AFTER we build the NBN? -----
We become a pirate country – we change our flag to Skull and Bones...
Ok – seriously, this is imaginary land – did anyone realise all the potential uses of oil when first discovered? First as a fuel – now it’s is almost every product we own/Use if one form or the other.
Some ideas:
Virtual HD 3D stores with real shopping assistance to answer your questions and help you pick out clothes.
Virtual home previews. A store could create an application for either your phone (connected to your local fibre supported wireless network) or computer with camera that allows you to view your home, whilst showing their virtual products in your home.
Home Office
TeleHealth
Online Band. I am in a band – getting together is often a hassle, but each of us has the ability to connect our instruments to our computers (I have an electronic drumkit). A online band would be fantastic.
But you need low latency, fast speed and a reliable connection. Currently I have neither. My line drops out in rain (or even threat of rain). It is slow – and has dropped in speed continually over the years.
It may one day be possible to sing virtually a long side your favourite rock star while they perform live and play next to your favourite drummer/guitarist etc while they play live.
3D HD Education – Not just great for science. All education will benefit – but education that uses 3D objects/experiments will benefit the most. Science, Architecture, Engineering, Drama, Music etc...
Interactive 3D gatherings. (It will not be long before ideas like Google Glass and other (currently available headsets) improve to allow you to meet up with friends and family in a 3D environment).
4k TV sets are already out and dropping in price rapidly, the next generation (8k) is already planned. Without Fibre you will not be able to take advantage of these resolutions for normal tv/streaming content.
Virtual 3D stores will soon go hand in hand with increasingly popular 3D printers. You will soon be able to explore a shop virtually, find an object you want to buy – and it downloads and prints for you.
Always online - Interactive HD 3D entertainment is the future – you already have the latest XBOX forcing your box to connect once a day. For the technologically advanced society – having a permanent online connection will be an expected feature of the home.
I would expect that if anyone living in a home of the future would go crazy if they came to my place and tried to use my copper based ‘broadband’ that drops out often and dies for extended periods during any kind of rain.
IP phones are not just future – they are now. One of the main problems with IP phones in unreliability – wireless drops in and out and gets congested. Home internet is not yet reliable. Fibre will not only make your home internet very reliable it will improve the overall wireless network as well (wireless towers and mobile phone towers all use fibre connections currently). IP based telephony is very cheap. It now just needs to also be reliable.
Anyway – enough of my(and others) ideas... Go think some up some yourself.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
