An article in Australian IT has quoted an industry member as suggesting that wireless is the BEST option to regional, rural and remote areas. And he is right.
WiMAX is capable of speeds far exceeding that of the proposed FTTN network. Look at FTTN as providing a maximum (yep, even Telstra’s own claim) of 50Mbps.
Look at WiMAX as capable of exceeding 50Mbps, and nearly doubling it, to 100Mbps.
And the fun doesn’t stop there. WiMAX, unlike FTTN, doesn’t require a copper phone line, which means that if someone invested and rolled out a full WiMAX solution Australia wide capable of providing speeds in excess of 20Mbps (or up to 100Mbps), and a reliable telephone product.
And could do that at a rate which meant that the average price from each user was equivilent or less (WiMAX is cheaper to maintain), and therefore get all PSTN users over, well, Telstra can then take the copper out of the ground and sell it off, because it’ll be a big shit heap by that point in time, unused and useless.
WiMAX is a very promising technology, delivering where Telstra simply cannot, a reliable service, to greater numbers, without the cost hassles, without the regulatory issues, without the whinging, and without the US imports.
I’m surprised that an Australian government, you know, one who governs Australia, doesn’t see our land situation, and realise you cannot argue with WiMAX, it’s suited to our conditions, it should be the technology of choice for Australia, we could be leading the way with it, we have open areas in outback making ideal testing grounds, and we have great built up cities for commercially viable penetration.
The only missing link for WiMAX is backhaul, and well, $8 billion for an FTTN network? Scratch it, and spend $4 billion instead on a solid nationwide WiMAX network. No more pair-gains crap, no more ‘transmission loss’, no more ‘regulations stop us investing’. No more whinging. Just a solution to a problem, a real solution, a viable solution, and possibly the right solution.
FTTN will simply waste a lot of money and recreate a monopoly, sending the entire industry in yet another circle, acheiving nothing in the long term.
A WiMAX network, well, there’s a future. 100Mbps, and the technology is still ‘ just getting started ‘. It’s got a lot more promise, a lot more capabilities than the FTTN proposal, it allows competition. Setup a tower wherever they want, and link it to whoever you want, and away you go. No fussing around with Telstra, no intercompany blame, no anti competitive tactics.
Enjoy!