The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that a Coalition government would ditch the national broadband network and seek to offer high-speed internet using a mix of optical fibre, hybrid fibre coaxial, wireless, DSL and satellite technology.
Announcing its $6 billion broadband policy, the Liberals and Nationals claimed their policy would, by 2016, allow 97% of premises to be serviced by networks able to offer speeds of up to 100 Megabits-per-second (Mbps), down to a minimum of 12 Mbps.
The government's NBN, due to be completed by 2017, uses optical fibre to deliver speeds of 100 Mbps to 93% of the population, with the remaining 7% getting speeds of up to 12 Mbps using wireless and satellite.
But while the government's policy guarantees speeds at 100 Mbps, the Coalition merely say its network will be capable of such speeds.
The Coalition has emphasised that it is seeking to provide “affordable broadband” and will seek to stimulate competition rather than creating an infrastructure monopoly.
“The Coalition’s plan will stimulate a vibrant, private sector-based broadband market, with government involved to encourage competition and ensure services reach all Australians,” shadow communications minister Tony Smith and shadow finance minister Andrew Robb said in a statement.
The Coalition plans to invest $2.75 billion, with the expectation of a further $750 million private-sector funding, to create a national competitive fibre-optic backbone by 2017. The backhaul fibre would be accessible to any telecommunications company to provide broadband on multiple technologies.
In total the Coalition will provide up to $6.315 billion over seven years in grant and investment funding to encourage the building of new access and backhaul networks.
Key aspects of the plan include:
- $750 million for fixed broadband optimisation to increase the number of households that can receive a DSL service or high-speed equivalent;
- up to $1 billion in grants for a new fixed wireless networks in rural and remote Australia;
- up to $1 billion in investment funding for new fixed wireless networks in metropolitan areas, with an emphasis on outer metropolitan areas.
The Coalition will also establish a National Broadband Commission to implement its broadband policy.