Citi prices Australian opposition broadband plan at $17b
Posted in: Government & Policy at 11/11/2011 16:02
Although Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been mum on definite costs, Citigroup Global Markets estimates that the coalition's broadband plan would set Australian taxpayers back approximately $16.7 billion, and could be completed by the end of 2018.
In August, Turnbull revealed that should the coalition form government, it would halt construction of the National Broadband Network (NBN) and conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine the best broadband model for Australia. This would likely lead to a policy of fibre to the node (FTTN) in many areas; fibre to the home in Greenfields sites, utilising Telstra and Optus' hybrid fibre-coaxial cables; and subsidising the costs of broadband in rural and remote areas. Telstra's wholesale and retail arms would also be structurally separated, creating a new "Network Co" that would be the wholesaler for FTTN network.
To read this ZDNet report in full, see:
www.zdnet.com.au/citi-prices-turnbull-broadband-plan-at-17b-339325988.htm
