[AusNOG] NBNCo releases its response to industry consultation

[Grahame Lynch]

John


>
> Haven't we already seen something like this, from the Government in the
> form of digital set-top box warning messages, and Service Providers in the
> form of "Freeview" ads?
>
> John
>

Well with considerably longer transition periods and a less than stellar
take up rate to date sure :-)

But with some big differences. No consumers have contracts with free to air
TV companies. But in the telecom space there are literally hundreds of
carriers and ISPs with existing contracts with end users on a paid basis.

Also with Freeview, the message is tightly integrated - it is a co-ordinated
response between the government and a "cartel" of five networks.

Exactly how can the NBN Co or the federal government tightly integrate
marketing and awareness campaigns with the telecom sector? Who is the
telecom sector's Freeview? To the extent that NBN Co might delegate
awareness raising to telcos won't this give rise to criticisms that it goes
against the spirit of equivalence if Telstra is overly involved in those
customer communications? Effectively the copper-NBN migration becomes a free
marketing kick for Telstra?

I've had a look at how the Singapore NBN (which is free if you take it at
first pass, subsequently chargeable) deals with this:

http://www.opennet.com.sg/faq/

It says of how to buy NBN services: "You can choose to subscribe to any
service offered by any Retail Service Provider over the fibre network. It is
anticipated that SingNet, StarHub, PacNet, M1 or any such providers may also
offer their high speed broadband services over the fibre network in the
future"

I'm not suggesting these challenges are insurmountable but it has the
potential to get very messy if the marketing and connection campaigns aren't
tightly calibrated.







-- 
Grahame Lynch
Ph/SMS: +668 1701 7664
Skype: grahame.lynch
URL: www.commsday.com
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