By Paul Budde, BuddeComm

In March 2007 the Labor Party launched their National Broadband Plan. This was developed against the policies of the Howard Government. It was hoped that Labor, now in Government, would use its unique opportunity to fix the long-standing problems in the telecoms market, which had led to high consumer prices, lack of innovation and very little effective competition.

Its Request For Proposals (RFP) document doesn’t address any of these issues and will most probably lead to a continuation of the current unsatisfactory situation. Telstra is the only one who can successfully bid for a national solution under the RFP but they have already indicated that they will offer high-speed broadband at prices that BuddeComm indicates will be unaffordable to 80% of Australians.

The document reports on:

1. Synopsis

2. How did we get to where we are now?

3. RFP is addressing the symptoms rather than the cause

4. Government is shying away from making the tough decisions

5. Choice: Telstra’s monopolistic profits or affordable consumer prices

6. Lack of leadership will haunt the government

7. Structural changes are the only solution

8. Money can’t buy my love

9. BuddeComm’s predicted outcomes of the RFP process

10. Where is the Regulator?

11. The Minister is again raising the bar for himself

The full report is available free of charge from BuddeCom

http://www.budde.com.au/buddereports/4535/documentDetails.aspx?&docid=4535