LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: David Newall <davidn@rebel.net.au>
  To  : John Edwards <isplist@pinnacle.net.au>
  Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 13:29:33 +1030

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

John Edwards <isplist@pinnacle.net.au> wrote:
> It doesn't make much sense to dig a trench underneath power lines just to
> lay fibre when it could be hung with the power lines, especially if
someone
> is planning to move the power lines underground (and with it the other
> hanging cables) later.

Yes it does!  I just finished saying that hanging new wires on poles will
turn into an excuse to prolong the life of the poles.  Look at it this way:
If you hang them on a pole, then in 10 years time people will claim that it
makes litle senst to dig a trench underneath fibre cable just to replace
worn-out power lines when the new power lines could be hung with the fibre,
especially if someone is planning to move the fibre underground later.

Let's put at end to overhead services.  Let's start by having NO new
services aboveground.


> 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."

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