Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, in writing, on 21 March 2011:

(1) When was the decision made by the Government, announced on 7 April 2009, to replace its fibre to the node policy with a fibre to the home policy.

(2) In arriving at the decision in part (1), what advice (a) did the Government receive on the applications which could not be delivered over a 12 Mbps network but could be delivered over a 100 Mbps network, (b) was sought and received from people with experience in the sales and marketing of telecommunications and broadband services, and (c) did the Government receive on the revenues which could be captured from the delivery of any applications which could not be captured from applications delivered over a 12 Mbps network; and what were those applications, what would customers pay for them, and how many customers would take them up.

(3) Prior to the Government making the decision in part (1), what specific commitments were obtained from the Commonwealth's various departments and agencies to deliver additional services and applications for the 100 Mbps network (as distinct from those previously planned for delivering the 12 Mbps fibre to the node network).

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

(1) 7 April 2009.

(2) (a), (b) Over the course of the National Broadband Network (NBN) Request for Proposals (RFP) process and in developing its fibre to the premises (FTTP) policy, the Government received extensive advice on a broad range of issues relating to the capacity, marketing and viability of broadband networks in delivering broadband applications. The Government extensively tested the market through the NBN RFP process. It drew on advice from the Panel of Experts, specialist economic, commercial and technical advisers appointed to assist the NBN Taskforce and the Panel (Frontier Economics, KPMG and Gibson Quai AAS) who have extensive expertise in the telecommunications market, the ACCC, relevant government agencies, advice contained in research reports and provided through public consultation processes.

(c) Preliminary cost estimates were developed using a range of available information and assumptions were analysed, as part of the Government's decision making process. Further financial modeling was conducted in the course of the NBN Implementation Study.

(3) No specific commitments were obtained from Commonwealth departments and agencies in relation to the delivery of additional services and applications for the 100 Mbps National Broadband Network.