Broadband - Should the government simply buy a satellite?

[007XX]

That's kinda what I was getting at. Once upon a time, the goverment spent money on core infrastructure. Now the NZ government is kind of in maintenance mode. Sure, a spagetti junction there, a bridge there. But nothing Auckland harbour bridge or Clyde dam sized is on the agenda. They are too scared to just do something about it. Networking to a house is what I think is core infrastructure. If it's not core infrastructure today, in 5 years we'll all be feeling it as we continue to curse telecom's crap ADSL service and TelstraClear's very slow to roll out coaxial cable network.

I thought you might be heading for that and yes, I agree...

Even though admitedly the North Shore where I live has seen some major changes to implement bus circuits, there is no serious new projects as you stated.

PS:There is also a tunnel being dug to make a new portion of motorway between Orewa and the back of Waiwera, which has been dragging on for some time...But it is quite a massive project.

[Usarka]

PS:There is also a tunnel being dug to make a new portion of motorway between Orewa and the back of Waiwera, which has been dragging on for some time...But it is quite a massive project.

Everything takes so long here. Your lot built the highest viaduct (bridge) in 3 years. In the unlikely event something like this got started here it would take 8 years at least.....

[007XX]

Everything takes so long here. Your lot built the highest viaduct (bridge) in 3 years. In the unlikely event something like this got started here it would take 8 years at least.....

and a beauty she is too...French are morons for the great majority (and yes, I'm entitled to say that), but they do have some awesome engineers.

The thing is, it doesn't mean their economic system or their governement is any better...far from it actually! I would much rather be here still than go back to living in Paris.

[Ocean1]

It's got nothing to do with technical nouse, it's funding. Kiwi civil engineers were responsible for some very cool design initiatives a generation ago. Today the budget's simply not there. I'd love to know exactly where all our pilfered pennies go but next to none of it's spent on infrastructure. We're already paying for that and it'll get worse unless we take control of our future again.

[Disco Dan]

It's got nothing to do with technical nouse, it's funding. Kiwi civil engineers were responsible for some very cool design initiatives a generation ago. Today the budget's simply not there. I'd love to know exactly where all our pilfered pennies go but next to none of it's spent on infrastructure. We're already paying for that and it'll get worse unless we take control of our future again.

Lets get helen a collar then?

[Hitcher]

Couldn't somebody engineer something so that data traffic fitted into the peaks and troughs in an AC power sine wave, and people could get their broadband out of a three-pin wall socket?

[Usarka]

Couldn't somebody engineer something so that data traffic fitted into the peaks and troughs in an AC power sine wave, and people could get their broadband out of a three-pin wall socket?

and rely on NZ's futureproofed and resilient power network

[Ocean1]

Couldn't somebody engineer something so that data traffic fitted into the peaks and troughs in an AC power sine wave, and people could get their broadband out of a three-pin wall socket?

I'm aware that research did provide a working solution based on exactly that premis, but I haven't heard anything about it for years.

[tide]

Couldn't somebody engineer something so that data traffic fitted into the peaks and troughs in an AC power sine wave, and people could get their broadband out of a three-pin wall socket?

I'm aware that research did provide a working solution based on exactly that premis, but I haven't heard anything about it for years.

I have seen some LAN based solutions using electrical outlets and tested some myself... they don't work long distance and as a LAN wireless is faster at the moment... go figure...

as for broadband... fibre at the moment is the only way to future proof anything... mind you a death ray has a nice ring to it...

Satallite is good for a last option if nothing else is available...

D

[YellowDog]

Do you mean fibreoptics around cities/towns or a national network?

because we already have a fibre backbone covering most of the populated country and fibre laid throughout the main centres (not just akl wgtn chch), it's called the telstraclear network

obviously it isn't down every suburban street and into each door but;

a) that would be REAAAALLLY expensive
b) it's unnecessary

Yes, that is why ADSL2 is presently very close to general availability and the existing problems will have been largely resolved. Most will get a 10Mb/s plus connection (I get 3Mb/s now).

Satellite is only a good option for a very small minority of remote users; but it is slow and very expensive.

There was a Scottish power company a few years back who was offering a 15Mb/s service on their power cables. Essentially everywhere you have electricity, you could also have Broadband. I don't know how well it worked or whether it is still being used however this would be an ideal solution for remote users and possibly everyone.

Unfortunately there was no 'Death Ray' option and hence this would only have limited appeal in NZ.

Perhaps the VooDoofone Vodem is the answer?

Not exactly a 'Death Ray' however it does sound sinister enough eh?

[McJim]

and a beauty she is too...French are morons for the great majority (and yes, I'm entitled to say that), but they do have some awesome engineers.

The thing is, it doesn't mean their economic system or their governement is any better...far from it actually! I would much rather be here still than go back to living in Paris.

Wow! you'd rather see the Sky tower than Eiffel's grand erection?

[mynameis]

Should the NZ government buy Xtra and a satellite (or sufficent bandwidth) and provide fast broadband to the whole nation?

I'm thinking that the cost would be subsidised by the taxpayer, not at current satellite rates. Cheapish for all.

What do you think?

Satellite costs a lot of money and do you want the government controlling the airports, banks, transport companies, shopping malls...ect...ect.

Got the drift. Resonable intervention.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Well southland is now part of the space scene with its tracking stations :bwahahha

[CookMySock]

Satellite costs a lot of money and do you want the government controlling the airports, banks, transport companies, shopping malls...ect...ect.

actually, I wonder if we might be better off if the govt still owned telescum now. Perhaps we might see some real investment in infrastructure, rather than all this ripoff dodging the consumer type bullshit from its' current owners.

DB

[Ewan Oozarmy]

There was a Scottish power company a few years back who was offering a 15Mb/s service on their power cables. Essentially everywhere you have electricity, you could also have Broadband. I don't know how well it worked or whether it is still being used however this would be an ideal solution for remote users and possibly everyone.

Data can run over power lines no problem, however the issues come when it hits the transformers - ie. when the 70,000 volts (or whatever) gets transformed to 240 volts before entering peoples homes.