Is the National Broadband Network going to be compulsory for Australians ?
The federal government, on 21st Oct 2010 advised that the take-up rate in the first three Tasmanian towns to receive the NBN was less than 11 per cent.
This was used as evidence that the $43 billion program was on track.
However, the Coalition said the take-up rate was “appallingly low” and that revelations that only 262 premises so far had active connections suggested the rollout was “farcical”.
A stoush also looms between the federal and NSW governments over the NBN rollout.
NSW is staring down threats by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to use federal powers to force people on to the NBN if the states and territories do not mandate connections.
Paul Broad, the head of the nation’s third-biggest telco, AAPT, sounded a note of caution about forcing people into the project. He asked: “If people were forced on to it, what are they going to be charged?”
www.theaustralian.com.au