Broadband

INTERNET users have been promised faster, cheaper downloads with Brisbane company Pipe Networks set to break the duopoly that controls Australia’s links to global broadband networks. Pipe Networks yesterday confirmed it would build a $200 million undersea cable connecting Sydney to Guam, an island broadband hub with links to Asia, Hawaii and the US mainland.

The 6900km fibre-optic cable will deliver up to 1.92 terabits of data a second – a significant improvement on Australia’s two existing links, owned partly by Telstra and Optus. Pipe Networks said contracts with internet service providers including iiNet, Primus and Internode meant the so-called “Project Runway” was viable.

Is that all it takes – another pipeline? I’m all for competition and hope this has some impact but I can’t help thinking that our local network is a major part of the problem. Data can travel at warp speed between countries but if it then has to travel via copper wire to get to my home then it is still going to be comparatively slow. At ZDNet my speed clocks at 3633 , 4355 and 4386 kb/s which is well below the stated Optusnet national average of 7,015kbps. Why? Interestingly, at Speedtest my figures are 6887 kb/s download and 619 kb/s upload which makes me far above average for Australasia and comparative with the US At CNet I clocked in at 3677, 4492 and 3384 kb/s which is way below the theoretical maximum of ADSL2 of 12m Mb/s Do I have a case to talk to Optusnet? Is it worth all the “Your call is important to us” patronising bullshit? I’d be interested in your speeds just to see where I stand.