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  From: John Edwards <isplist@pinnacle.net.au>
  To  : David Newall <davidn@rebel.net.au>
  Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2000 09:49:11 +1030

Re: Broadband options in SA (was Re: ADSL talk suggestion)

David Newall wrote:

> > It is simply too costly to dig new trenches to get fibre everywhere
> 
> I wonder if that's true.  Whoever first digs trenches everywhere will be in
> a prime position to claim reasonable rent from every other utility that
> needs to lay cable.  Etsa (or whatever they call themselves now), and every
> other telco, will be more-or-less forced to use those trenches (because it
> will be cheaper to pay rent than lay a second trench.)  And with a perfectly
> useable trench in the ground the government may well mandate, "thou shalt
> move thy cables underground NOW."  You say "too costly"; I say "licence to
> print money."

How many large corporates do you know of that would buy into such a
service without owning it?

A shared duct would be a great way to make broadband happen, but you'll
be lucky to find telcos who'll cooperate. Have you ever asked if you
could run cable through a telstra duct to the building next door? Never
going to happen. Telcos need to ensure quality of service which means
that they can't have unknowns with sidecutters wandering around their
cable runs.

On top of this telecommunications law allows telcos to dig their own
trench whereever they want, so even if you get one of these communal
ducts up and running, they'll just go around you if they don't agree
with something. 

There's also a technical problem in running 3 phase power lines and
copper phone lines in the same duct, but I guess we were talking about
fibre.

In Europe (Germany I think) they have a more enlightened
telecommunications industry that goes one better than sharing ducts, by
sharing exchanges. They make this work by only allowing the properly
licenced people to enter the very secure exchange building, where all
surfaces are polished stainless steel that is easily marked. At the end
of the working day, they dust for fingerprints, make a record, and clean
it for the next day's work. This means everyone can get things done
quickly, and is accountable for their actions. Remember that this is the
same place where ISDN is cheaper than analogue phone lines :)

John Edwards

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