NBN to hold HFC launch days before Election

91

news The NBN company has revealed plans to hold a product launch just days before the upcoming Federal Election, in a move which has the potential to be interpreted as a breach of the Caretaker Conventions that govern the pre-election behaviour of public sector organisations.

In late night hearings last night, NBN chief executive Bill Morrow told a Budget Estimates hearing held by the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications that the NBN company was planning to hold a “product launch” for its forthcoming HFC cable service “at the end of next month”.

The timing would place the NBN launch just days before the Federal Election, which is expected to be held on July 2.

The NBN company has bought the HFC cable networks owned by Telstra and Optus and is planning to upgrade them and extend them, as a means of bringing high-speed broadband to around a third of Australian premises.

Last night Morrow told the Committee the NBN company was progressing its trial rollout area in Redcliffe, Queensland, and would begin construction in areas of Western Australia and South Australia.

The NBN company’s use of HFC cable represents a key policy difference between the two major sides of Australian politics.

Currently, Labor’s NBN policy focuses on a national Fibre to the Premises rollout, overbuilding all of the copper and HFC cable networks owned by Telstra and Optus, although that policy may change during the election campaign.

The Coalition’s policy instead focuses on re-using and upgrading those networks, as part of its so-called ‘Multi-Technology Mix’ approach.

In this sense, a product launch for the NBN company’s HFC cable product during the election campaign could be seen as a strong advertisement for the Coalition’s NBN policy. NBN product launches are typically associated with a great deal of media coverage and analysis, as well as events in local neighbourhoods and even advertising campaigns.

The Federal Government has previously clarified that the NBN company, although it is a Government Business Enterprise and not a department or agency, is nethertheless covered by the Caretaker Conventions.

The Conventions (available online) place strict limitations on issues such as advertising campaigns carried out during the election campaign, using government premises to promote particular policies. They state, for example:

“Officials should not use agency resources or their positions to support particular issues or parties during the election campaign … Officials need to exercise judgment if they are scheduled to speak at public functions during the caretaker period.”

“In the case of controversial issues, officials should decline invitations to speak. In the case of non-controversial issues, officials may speak, but should explain that the Government is in caretaker mode and that they will limit their statements to factual issues and matters of administration. Officials should avoid publicly explaining or promoting policies during the caretaker period.”

Last night, the author of this article ventured an opinion on Twitter that the NBN company could be in breach of the Caretaker Conventions, based on the planned launch and other comments made by Morrow last night defending the Coalition’s MTM policy.

The NBN company’s executive general manager of corporate affairs, Karina Keisler, described the comment as “BS” and stated that the HFC product launch had been in the NBN company’s roadmap since January. In addition, Delimiter believes that the NBN company may hold a subdued HFC launch, considering the campaign.

However, during last night’s session, former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy also directly cautioned the NBN company to keep the Caretaker Conventions in mind during the election campaign, stating that it was “probably safer” to “confiscate” Keisler’s mobile phone during the period.

The HFC product launch will not be the first time that the NBN company has been criticised for its behaviour during an election campaign. In 2010, for example, then-NBN chief executive Mike Quigley attracted heavy criticism for announcing during that year’s campaign that the NBN network was capable of 1Gbps speeds, and heavily criticising the Coalition’s own broadband policy.

And during the 2013 Election Campaign, the NBN company again came under fire for collaborating with the Labor Government to host a series of launches nationally for the company’s Fibre to the Premises service.

Image credit: Parliamentary Broadcasting

91 COMMENTS

  1. Real professional response there Karina. Nice to see our tax dollars are paying people of such eloquence.

    If she was working in the private sector and used such terms, even on a private account, at the very least, first and final warning. You see it all the time, plenty of cautionary tales out there.

    She fits the definition of a taxpayer paid troll.

    I just can’t believe how any superior would let her get away with that.

    Then again, maybe it’s my naivety.

      • which makes such behaviour even worse. I know this form of antisocial media is limited in characters but I’m pretty sure it would have been easy for a polite short retort. Someone with some marketing prowess might have even been able to come up with a humorous retort.

        You’d well imagine the former board would be decidedly unhappy with such actions. I guess it speaks to the quality of the current one as to how they let their executives behave.

        But hey its only monopoly money they’re playing with right!?

  2. It’s all just a coincidence in timing folks. Nothing to see here. Move along (suckers)

  3. I thought Conroy pushing NBN further later on and NBN said that the HFC product wouldn’t be available before the expected election.

  4. It wouldn’t take much to graph KK’s and NBN’s social media activity in the lead up to the election against the last 3 years.

    Of course the NBN has a vested interest in the outcome. If Labor get in, a simple transparency process will make for significant political gain without the need for an enquiry.

  5. Renai, Considering LibTroll nbn won’t even produce legislatively required reports on time (or at all), what makes you think they will abide by the caretaker conventions?

  6. GimpCo employees doing what GimpCo employees do best. Keislers response just indicative of the poor quality network currently in build.

  7. They’ll miss management’s published rollout forecasts and HFC serviced areas to go live in H1 2016 if the product launch is delayed. Caretaker Conventions aside (everything today is sadly political; expansion of govt seemingly unstoppable), NBN policy published performance is fascinating and doesn’t reflect well on either party’s delivery.

    Let’s look at historical data for some perspective. Quigley continued his mantra of “on time and budget” right up to the 2013 election, the (little) available data at the time exposed the claim as bizarre. Much more data is available today.

    Charting NBNCO fixed-line brownfield performance using their published actuals through 28APR2016 ( 8th year, $20b sunk, almost 2m serviceable premises or 20% complete ):

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/6fwadkqyvrz9kkb/brownfields-actuals.pdf?dl=0

    Shows significant growth in rollout required new management and change in direction (or coincidence?). Faster rollout technologies (much delayed) also demonstrating their comparative rollout advantage (trend exponent increasing).

    Comparing old v new management performance by graphing NBNCO fixed-line brownfield rollout actuals vs Management’s forecasts:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/2cpmjufh576l5ch/brownfields-actuals-v-forecast.pdf?dl=0

    Quigley’s purple line (CP12-15) starting to look lonely immediately after publication (ie when they started to forecast).

    The data is (as usual) pretty interesting. Will NBNCo be able to reach their CP16’s FY16 targets? Pre-July HFC announcement required any chance of meeting 10k HFC serviceable brownfields. Data showing they’ve still much work to do re other tech in the next couple of months. However, unlike old management it’s at least achievable.

    However my belief is performance no longer matters. It’s about the vibe, not looking good for Turnbull. Much like AGW, NBN policy not a big factor in the campaign anyway (majority lost interest years ago). Launch the HFC finally and offer some hope a little value for the taxpayer billions wasted will be realised.

    • Take this to Whirlpool Richard.

      We’ll have a whole lot of fun with your …. errrrm …. analysis.

      *chuckle*

      • Geniuses at whirlpool are critical of charting referenced, published data;-)

        You tried this previously with Dr Richard Ferrers’ analysis. Yet I was right (acknowledge by author), you and the WPers were wrong.

        • “Geniuses at whirlpool are critical of charting referenced, published data;-)”

          When used to selectively promote a certain point of view without context … yes … yes we are.

          But you wouldn’t acknowledge that one, would you Richard? You must think we came down in the last shower.

          Other than trying to justify your “belief”, where is your data coming from? I notice that you haven’t stated that. If you’d like to get this started here … let’s go … you may not like where it ends.

    • I see you had to produce your own documents so you could reduce the numbers by the factious “Service class 0” figure that was really just counting pre build drop premises as unserviceable.
      With your level of dishonesty, you really wonder why people treat you like pond scum?

      • Funny, comparing actuals to their own forecasts:

        “Premises are passed / covered when the shared network and service elements are installed, accepted, commissioned and ready for service which then enables an End-User to order and purchase a broadband service from their choice of retail service provider.”
        CP16p36

        • Oh there it is … a Corporate Plan.

          Here’s the thing about Corporate Plans Richard … they are predictive in nature. Which is not the context you are applying them for. You’re using a future looking prediction (as acknowledged in the CP’s Executive Summary) as exact data.

          You are incorrect.

          I’d suggest rereading the summary Richard … of any of the Corporate Plans … but from the latest …

          “The Estimates involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond control that may cause nbn’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance
          or achievements expressed or implied by the Estimates.”

          Got that?

        • I didn’t ask about forecasts. I was pointing out that you adjusted the real actual numbers down by bogus service class zero figures claimed by the new regime.

          Would you care to break down the complete brown field numbers by those that were already in place when before the election, add the graph how many never happened because contracts were withdrawn or modified?

          BTW, you might want to remove your personal data from the pdfs.

          Anyway, I’ll off home, I’ll wave as I pass your work place if you’re not out on site.

          • Forecast vs Actuals! Actuals used closest to the forecasts.

            People know who I am; in previous attempts to intimidate they’ve posted my workplace, email and threatened phone number. New to the debate? Abuse & bile their modus operandi.

            You’re seriously arguing the failure to meet forecasts started after the election?

          • No Richard, not new, I was had to put up with your ignorance back on ZDNet too.

            “You’re seriously arguing the failure to meet forecasts started after the election?”

            No I am not. I am suggesting you are presenting all data in a light favorable to the current MTM roll out. How’s the MTM going against it’s 25Mb by 2016 forecast? Wasn’t that the very reason for switching to it?

            You get abuse and bile because of your arrogant and belittling attitude to everyone you communicate with. Count me in on the abuse and bile, because I’ve read your posts back to 2007 and before and I think you’re an asshole. Still hold to you assertions from back then that 1Mb was way more than any home needed? You were an asshole then, you’re the same asshole now. If you’re so much better than everyone else, which you regularly claim on every forum you infest, why bother trying to talk to us ignorant children?

          • Count me in on the abuse and bile

            It’s not even that Darren. You are dealing with someone who has very thin skin and a victim complex. They can give it but not take it. It’s the reason if you respond in kind to their comments they will claim “abuse” without acknowledging their hypocrisy. They lack self awareness.

          • It’s not even that Darren. You are dealing with someone who has very thin skin and a victim complex. They can give it but not take it. It’s the reason if you respond in kind to their comments they will claim “abuse” without acknowledging their hypocrisy. They lack self awareness..

            I guess it's because he considers himself one of the "born to rule" LibFail class, even though he probably isn't a top 10% earner.

            Richard is delusional and much like Reality (Nee – Alain, et al) is willing to embarrass himself to defend his team (even when the debate isn't actually about the "teams", but rather about the team choices, which even Labor got wrong….just not as wrong as the LPA).

          • @Darren Still hold to you assertions from back then that 1Mb was way more than any home needed?

            I suspect he does, which is why he has to fly everywhere to do business with people, he’s actually still trying to catch up with the 090’s…

          • Guys, I know the kind. God forbid he ever has to change positions, he probably couldn’t handle the fact that he isn’t God’s gift to IT. Best he just rot where he is til he retires and the poor bastards under him who have to put up with him get some respite. No one, however good, is all knowing better than everyone else. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. IT is such a broad discipline. Usually the cocky meet those who exceed them in other area, even when they have strengths in some. Only a fool or someone isolated from the community at large would get the to point Richard has without the ability to acknowledge that they don’t know it all.
            Based on what I have seen of his comments in the past is he was a programmer. Back in the days of the 8 and 16 bit processors. 68k, the RISC processor, era. It seems he moved into management soon after. Time to accept the fact that people carried on after him, PPC Cell processor expertise, he has the concepts, but people carried on beyond where he stopped and refused to be management and therefore obsolete.

          • Darren providing yet other eloquent squealing contribution. Nice to be remembered, I don’t remember you (nobody else does either).

            However HC’s contributions to the debate have been legendary. Guilty of all the above abuses, when straying from bile his greatest pronouncements have been the WWII’s Brisbane Line strategy (never happened), voting conservative is a mental illness (50% of population), QOS isn’t a technology, 1gbps node uplink isn’t sufficient to service 192 premises (when ACCC data showing average 1mbps provisioned RSP backhaul), etc.

            A true genius, then there’s one who’s contribution has been far less. Sorry tm still work to do.

            Upset by actual data they don’t understand (re-read their claims here), offering up nothing but bile.

          • Richard is delusional and much like Reality (Nee – Alain, et al) is willing to embarrass himself to defend his team

            Indeed Tinman. I think we all noticed. Also has a nasty habit of misrepresenting others positions and just imagining the rest.

            It’s hilarious watching RR desperately trying to rewrite history in his favor to protect his precious ego on Delimiter. It’s clear my destruction of him on Zdnet had a profound and detrimental effect on him. Using words and phases myself and Rizz used there you can tell he is butthurt as the words weighed heavily on his mind for months and years keeping him awake at night. This is the guy that endorsed the coalition clowns patchwork plan but still refuses to admit we were right about it being a disaster when we made the predictions. Destroyed by logic but when it all gets to much he’ll claim “abuse” again and mutter something about workplace details and Brisbane lines. We’ve seen the same irrational pattern before. Claims I “threatened” to post phone number without any proof. Only thing posted was company name and email, information already available all over the internet with a google search (not put there by anyone commenting btw) yet blames everyone else for it’s existence (that victim complex kicking in again)

            BTW, you might want to remove your personal data from the pdfs.

            You watch Darren, you say that pdf has personal data in it? Reupload that pdf in a couple of months and he’ll claim you are trying to “intimidate” him again for more of those lucrative victim points.

          • Yes Richard, you are remembered. It is pretty hard to read any article on any topic without seeing comments by self proclaimed God Richard Flude making his proclaimations from on high. Richard Flude the source of all knowledge on every topic. As to remembering me. Not remembered, that’s fine. I don’t post comments as an ego thing like you. What’s the deal? Everyone has run into a Richard Flude from time to time during their career. The guy who, despite having a pretty average career thinks he is some god of the industry. What gives? Why the massive ego? If you were said IT God you’d surely be looking for a bit more of challenge than could be offered by some infrared sensors plugged into some embedded SoC boards. Can’t be much of a challenge. If it is, your doing it wrong.

          • A low IQ, little educations or experience and a remarkable embracing of ignorance leaves them with abuse and intimidation.

            When they stray its rarely kind (eg HC’s brisy line, node components, etc) like this gem:
            “Back in the days of the 8 and 16 bit processors. 68k, the RISC processor, era.”

            68k was CISC and 32-bit. Then some of us actually learnt and wrote 68k assembler.

            With such knowledge nothing, liking embedded board design, nothing’s a challenge;-)

          • Everyone has run into a Richard Flude from time to time during their career.

            I’ve actually run into more than one in my time Darren.

            His response to you what we’ve come to expect. Says you “embrace ignorance” yet displays a reading comprehension fail on his part (again)

          • Fun though isn’t it Tim. Internet comment boards full of these “experts”, social media even worst. Trivial to expose their lack of understanding, but they know so little they can’t see it; confidence through ignorance.

            Right HC; Brisy line really happened, node uplink congestion the cause of FTTN complaints, Quigley’s rollout was on time (or 6mth delayed), CPs forecast didn’t require premises to be serviceable (100% coverage day one), HFC can’t be used for high speed internet, Motorola’s 68k was a 8/16bit RISC processor;-)

          • HC,

            Brissy line, seriously… WTF?

            I remember a certain person coming here only a few months back, to “intentionally misrepresent the UK roll out figures”. He quoted 60m passed but that actual figure was 16m…

            Not bad for a numbers guru…

            Of course I had a bit of fun over a short period for such a gross exaggeration and then let it go.

            But if Brissy line is all one can conjure to attempt to debate upon, some 5 years or so on… err, in a comms forum, I think it clearly demonstrates our friend has nothing.

            But then we knew that and history has shown it so.

          • Brissy line, seriously… WTF?

            yeah Rizz, something Abel said that I commented on. He got all butthurt over what we both wrote and then apparently got banned for the the vile abuse he is notorious for. This is something that has weighed heavily on his mind for years, war nostalgia nerds are funny like that. That is what offended him so much though. I managed to piss him off with a throwaway line without any effort that I had completely forgotten about so much that he got himself banned, I wish I knew sooner :-)

          • @ Richard…

            A low IQ, little education or experience and a remarkable embracing of ignorance leaves them with abuse and intimidation.

            Don’t be too hard on yourself there Richard, we here are all open minded and willing to accept your obvious flaws, because well, we are nice people… just try to pull your uneducated, inexperienced and ignorant stupidity back a bit and all good ;)

            You’re welcome,

          • People know who I am; in previous attempts to intimidate they’ve posted my workplace, email and threatened phone number. New to the debate? Abuse & bile their modus operandi.

            I have to admit, I don’t really recall, though I am curious.

            From memory, you’re an (executive?) accountant from a “something” company, right? All you ZDnet people just meld together after a while, though I do remember you particularly disliked David Braue…

            And seriously dude, this is the internet, never post your “workplace, email and phone number” public.

          • Don’t be too hard on yourself there Richard, we here are all open minded and willing to accept your obvious flaws, because well, we are nice people… just try to pull your uneducated, inexperienced and ignorant stupidity back a bit and all good ;)

            Well, that and he does trigger some lively discussion when he isn’t being condescending. On the whole, if he could learn to be a little more civil (e.g. not call people “squealers” etc when they disagree with him) , I’m more than happy to discuss things with him.

    • “Shows significant growth in rollout required new management and change in direction (or coincidence?).”
      Considering the orignal FTTP was aiming for 3M homes this year was pretty poor growth.
      Or the current management own SR had a target for 4.5M this year only hit half pretty poor growth.

      “Faster rollout technologies (much delayed) also demonstrating their comparative rollout advantage (trend exponent increasing).”
      Considering that project was claimed to never have existed. could have had a higher growth than what they have.

        • Richard
          “Sadly talking about reaching the target isn’t the same as actuals.”
          Ahh double standards I see. Yet you do that for Quigleys targets.

          Btw how’s that rookie mistake when comparing your figures with out the ducts and pits cost vs Quigley cost with the ducts and puts cost. But that wasn’t a mistake was it Richard.

        • You still don’t get it do you Richard?

          Comparing premises passed is a false measure of success, thanks to the immense amount of work that was required before the first premise got connected under the initial NBN.

          You talk about other people’s failing comprehension, but every time you post anything about a premises passed figure, you display your own. Likewise with your previous use of the Corporate Plans to provide some sort of authoritative reference, also failing to acknowledge that the context you are applying is not the Corporate Plan’s purpose.

          Surely you must realise that you need to switch contexts, or indeed entire arguments by now. You’re simply a broken record at this point. I’m not sure what you’re trying to achieve unless you think that by sheer repetition that people will get sick of you and let your faulty arguments stand?

          *Yoda voice* Bizarre this is, the world of Richard.

          • I’m not sure what you’re trying to achieve unless you think that by sheer repetition that people will get sick of you and let your faulty arguments stand?

            No question. Based on what I’ve see I think this is safe to assume.

          • You believe posting here achieves anything?

            There are periods I’ve little to do (junior sports, waiting for others, airport lounges, project downtime, etc), fun to challenge the “understanding”. Sometimes we learn things; DC & CW have also made some outstanding contributions.

            Renai’s articles informative even if I often disagree on his opinion/analysis.

            One of many sites I read to keep up to date (tech, tax, economic trends,etc), links from many provided overtime. All part of a successful 20+ year career in a fast changing industry.

            FYI premises passed is a core KPI for this project (as are CPP and ARPU) and CPs are the authoritative reference to management’s thinking, ARs same for actual performance. This is why we keep coming back to them. The above graphs show what they show; data referenced

            I’m sorry but I don’t need to do anything. I’m not looking for the approval of the sheeples. Whilst happy to politely debate, abuse I’m happy to return it (often can’t be bothered).

          • “You believe posting here achieves anything?”

            It can achieve informed discussion. But when you keep repeating debunked points, it doesn’t even achieve that goal.

            “Sometimes we learn things”

            Once again, by repeating the same arguments over and over, this is not achieved either. Makes it a waste of everyone’s time.

            “FYI premises passed is a core KPI for this project”

            Richard, it might be a core KPI, but that doesn’t make it any more relevant when you’re attempting to use it as a comparison as to how the MTM is “succeeding” versus the the previous Coalition one, as I have demonstrated previously. The original NBNCo did not get created with that KPI at the very beginning. That’s the out of context part I was getting at.

            ” I’m not looking for the approval of the sheeples. Whilst happy to politely debate,”

            By referring to people as “sheeple” you have contradicted yourself. I would hardly call that term polite.

          • Informed discussion like the first charting anywhere of forecast v actuals? ROFL.

            Sheeples only want data that confirms their uninformed opinion.

          • Much like you Richard missing the cost of the ducts and pits from your own calculations

            Or the 3m revenue from FTTN so far or $69 per user vs FTTP $151m at $208 per user

          • Richard,

            Informed discussion is a little bit more than using select data to support your own talking points Richard. As alluded to a couple of times now, there’s context. Your forecast vs actuals point is irrelevant to the comparison of the success of a previous NBN and the current MTM. Futhermore, it is irrelevant to the success even of the current MTM on it’s own. Just because something meets a target on a piece of paper doesn’t necessarily make it a success … consider the amount of people that may have been connected to a superior technology by now … consider what is gained by meeting targets on a piece of paper … what does that mean? A promise kept? Setting a bar so low as a promise for people such as yourself who then refuse to question the height of the bar makes you very easily led. That is not informed discussion.

            Your refusal to see any other context than your own talking points says more about where you’re coming from than the barbs you attempt to throw at others. Politeness is something that you have now confirmed that is off your agenda, thanks to your repetition of the word “sheeple”. Unfortunately, by your inability to question, you have placed yourself in the internet definition of that word as well, a person very easily led.

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheeple

          • @jk you’re right, my post conflated two issues:

            https://delimiter.com.au/2016/05/03/budget-2016-nbn-co-running-money/#li-comment-734419

            1. estimates / forecasts / budgeted are not actuals

            Your link shows the lowest achieved actuals (ie initial site release) as FTTP Access $3,000 (CP13-16p59) + FTTP Customer Connect $2,400 (CP13-16p68)=$5400 pp. ie more than double budget

            2. Quigley himself conceded cost blowout post election (denied prior)

            $3200 “internal estimate” (never achieved) is much greater than budgeted $2540.

            Either way budgeted CPP destroyed.

            @m NBN (all models) won’t be successful, stop assigning to me your strawman. The policy is a disaster, MTM billions less than FTTH. IF Renai reports on the latest 3rd quarter financial I’ve plenty more.

            Actuals v forecasts is critical when evaluating projects. What context is required for the graphs above? There’s none, underperformance performance obvious.

            Conroy/Quigley relied on the stupidity of the masses when they (like HC’s et al debunking = stalking abuse of every post showing underperformance from any source (biased claimed)) denied every piece of information showing underperformance. Yet today the actuals show underperformance was true, denial (lapped up by the fanboys) tosh. Sheeples keep talking up forecasts, inventing strawmen.

          • @jk “Or the 3m revenue from FTTN so far or $69 per user vs FTTP $151m at $208 per user”

            Not even the basics understood (3rd update actuals covering 3mths; Ferrer made the same fundamental mistake). More IF Renai covers the release.

            Yet another sourse confirming another of my positions:
            “If the ­return falls below 2.5 per cent, such as by an increase in cost or a slower construction timetable or lower revenues from customers, a Labor government would be forced to treat the network costs as a direct expense rather than a capital investment in the budget.”
            http://www.theaustralian.com.au/federal-election-2016/federal-election-labors-plan-for-nbn-risks-blowing-budget/news-story/ae5c3190689c5b8b796d6902a53278a8

            Looks like IRR is below zero.

          • Lol Richard
            so you keep changing your figures you link post with the same document was $2540 now with that same document is now $5400 so which is it.

            But at least it took you long enough to fix that “rookie” mistake. But how much is that claimed blowout it’s not $12B is it? Not the $27B the current MTM is sitting ATM.

            Richard so the policy you could have written is now delivering blow return. If what you have said before including your “average” ARPU figures FTTN should be producing to same revune as FTTP shouldn’t it?

          • Richard,

            “@m NBN (all models) won’t be successful, stop assigning to me your strawman.”

            What strawman? The one you built by comparing the two? It’s not me using Corporate Plan figures to gauge the “success” of the MTM versus the “failure” of the FTTP NBN.

            “MTM billions less than FTTH.”

            Political slogan. No more can be said about that.

            “Actuals v forecasts is critical when evaluating projects”

            Yes it is, measure the performance of a single project. But not when comparing two different projects. Which is what you’ve been doing to try to “prove” that the FTTH NBN was a “disaster”, in your world.

            “denied every piece of information showing underperformance.”

            That’s not true. Conroy can say what he liked … he’s a politician, and for all of them, there’s only shades of grey when it comes to using figures selectively. This includes current incumbents Malcolm Turnbull and Mitch Fifield.

            However, Quigley never denied them. You would expect as such from an engineer.

            “Sheeples keep talking up forecasts, inventing strawmen.”

            Ummmm … the only person talking up forecasts (i.e. Corporate Plans) is you Richard. And using it out of context.

          • Ummmm … the only person talking up forecasts (i.e. Corporate Plans) is you Richard. And using it out of context.

            He’s projecting again. Virtually every comment on Delimiter littered with them just as they were on Zdnet before he was banned for his vile abuse of others.

          • @ jk forecast (budgeted) v actuals, both in the very document you linked to (doh). Requires a level of comprehension beyond most here. Using actuals blowout more than double.

            3 days too long for correction, yet same basic misunderstandings left uncorrected for several years.

            @m It’s the same project! Quigley denied the rollout failure; his quoted “on time and budget” repeated until shown the door. Obvious to the numerate (still denied by others). What possible context can be applied to a basic forecast v actuals chart?

            @hc True banned from Zdnet for pointing out the absurdity of your Brisbane line position (still a classic) and “number of flags”. Like here the fanboys calling for bans for years and flagging everything their feeble minds couldn’t comprehend (need their safe spaces). Unlike the princesses I never directed moderators to your stalking bile, publishing of email address, workplace and threatening to publish my phone numbers. I don’t even Renai would find it acceptable; give it a go.

          • Richard,

            “@m It’s the same project!”

            You can’t be serious. I would have believed that if you had only been talking about the wireless and satellite components … but if you are talking about the remaining 93% … there’s not other word for it .. you are simply incorrect.

            “Quigley denied the rollout failure”

            Of course … because the rollout had not failed … it was only delayed.

            “his quoted “on time and budget””

            If you could supply that quote … I would bet the context would smack your assertion around every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

            “Obvious to the numerate”

            I think you’ve confused the numerate with those ideologically numerate.

            “What possible context can be applied to a basic forecast v actuals chart?”

            You tell me, you’re the one attempting to compare rollout figures from one NBN, rollout figures from another MTM, using differing technology stacks … and claiming it as a demonstration that the MTM is succeeding.

            It’s pretty plain … comparing small rollout figures without including the backend infrastructure needed, to rollout figures where that infrastructure was in place and executing already … is an erroneous comparison. It’s talking about apples and oranges.

            It makes the figures irrelevant for that comparison. You can’t use them.

          • FYI premises passed is a core KPI for this project (as are CPP and ARPU) and CPs are the authoritative reference to management’s thinking

            I notice you didn’t mention opex, is that not also a KPI?

          • Sheeples only want data that confirms their uninformed opinion.

            And you claim privilege one why I went off with my “abuse and bile”…

            I respond in kind, and I think many here do too, consider that in the future, if you want respect, consider not insulting everyone that doesn’t agree with your position, but rather win them over.

            I didn’t agree with Mathew, but I do now (not everything he says, but the speed tier basics he’ anyway…well…him and Steve Baxter), and that’s mostly because he just sticks to his position without belittling people.

            Give it some thought maybe?

  8. Interestingly, it might actually be better for “NBN” the entity, to have labor win. Cause then it gets to exist for longer and gets to do more work on top of what it had before, somewhat ensuring its existence…

    Of course the head honchoes will all go… and most likely certain idiot PR people, but no great loss there…

    :-P

  9. HFC was always going to be announced from fox studios just before the election.
    Deja vu?

    o.k. I doubt it will be from fox studios this time.

  10. it was “probably safer” to “confiscate” Keisler’s mobile phone during the period.

    Say what you like about Conroy, but he’s almost as funny as Paul Keating!

  11. I believe they have over built a second Optus cable line brand new. To counter the faulty Optus line that was found to be inadequate. If only they spoke to the thousands of people complaining about it falling over. No wonder they’ve run out of money.

  12. Karina should be sacked immediately. There is no place in a professional workplace for a person who carries on like a spoilt child and has blatant disregard for those who are paying her salary.

    • Can’t agree, where would we get our Friday night drunken lolz if they did that???

  13. Given the Lieberals paid so much money for the HFC networks, and that they must keep it maintained for Foxtel, I do not think the ALP will have any other option but to use it as part of the NBN.

      • TuffGuy,

        Given the Lieberals paid so much money for the HFC networks,

        Wrong, they didn’t pay anything for the HFC networks.

        and that they must keep it maintained for Foxtel,

        Wrong, Foxtel pay the NBN Co for the use of the HFC.
        Foxtel also provide their product on streaming IPTV under their own name and Presto, Foxtel could drop HFC anytime and continue to sell IPTV.

        I do not think the ALP will have any other option but to use it as part of the NBN.

        ALP do have the policy option to shut it down just like they had the option under their previous NBN policy to shutdown the HFC, not that they got anywhere near to overbuilding HFC areas with FTTP between 2010-2013 for that to happen.
        Labor won’t shut it down this time around because they know to overbuild HFC with FTTP starting 2017 at the earliest will be very expensive and time consuming.

        When you take 50% from your original FTTP rollout estimates you don’t get anywhere near to finishing a hell of a lot of areas.

        • “Wrong, they didn’t pay anything for the HFC networks.”
          You what? They sure as shit didn’t just get them for free.

          “When you take 50% from your original FTTP rollout estimates you don’t get anywhere near to finishing a hell of a lot of areas.”
          Are you saying (for the 18th time to go unanswered) that in 2013 Labor only expected to deliver a FTTP service to 46.5% of Australians by 2022?

          • Another point the copper clowns always ignore is that with Project Fox the FttP rollout would have been 61 per cent faster and 50 per cent cheaper…

          • You know the funniest part TM…

            The copper clowns here you refer to (we know who they are… ok Richard and alain/reality) inadvertently admitted not so long ago, that neither “had even heard of project fox”.

            Yet they blab…

            Seriously, I kid you not… FFS

            GOLD

  14. Australian election rules are a farce. Caretaker provisions are going to do what exactly? Nothing? And Liberal NBN is going to stop doing anything because of the election rules? They already called “BS” on that, and it’s a quote!

  15. Hmmm time for an Turnbull/Abbot style comment. Is Karina’s middle name Katherine perhaps? Initials would explain the attitude, and the question about her initials would fall in with Liberal Leadership glowing standards.

    Am I missing something, or is the comment to Renai missing from her timeline, I didn’t know you could remove
    posted comments from Twitter. It doesn’t appear on her Tweets from 5/5/16

    It’s not just Caretaker provisions that are farcical in Australia, the whole system has collapsed. Bring the day a politician opens there mouth and makes a committed, enforcable election statement. The only current way to evaluate election promises with reasonable accuracy is to assume the opposite of whatever is stated. At least that way you increase the veracity to >50%. {the ba$tards lie so much, assume the opposite of whatever they say}

  16. Unless Labor announce as part of their pre electionNBN policy they are shutting down the HFC network as per their old NBN policy (which most commentators doubt) both political parties would in that case benefit from a HFC launch announcement.

    The HFC launch is long overdue, the fact that it may or may not coincide near to a July election date that has not even been officially announced yet is no reason whatever to delay the announcement any longer.

    • If both parties are going to support it, then there is no problem delaying the official launch until after the election.

      The “Official Launch” means nothing other than propaganda. They can release products to the public before an “Official Launch” occurs.

      Much like many movies are released to some theaters before the official premiere.

    • “The HFC launch is long overdue”
      I’ll say! They originally promised to have ALL of Australia connected by the end of this year!

  17. Continuity with change.

    The coalition conservative fear of change mononeurons dig their own mass grave.

    Now for the Chicago School of Reaganomics blackhole of twenty five billion dollars due 2017.

    enough said!

  18. Only an idiot would parade faulty copper that goes down for days when it rains like the HFC does.

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