On-line Life in Copper

There was a refreshing note of common sense recently from a visiting overseas telecommunication expert when he said we need to make a lot more of our existing copper network. I can only agree.

Martin Mellor, who is head of fixed broadband for equipment maker Ericsson, pointed out while he was here earlier this month that technology is transforming what we can do over copper.

In fact he said that it would eventually be possible to deliver connection speeds of more than 100 megabits per second (Mbps) without having to replace all the copper that has provided telephone connections for decades.

I've been saying this for some time and if the research I'm seeing from around the world is anything to go by, then speeds of around 250 Mbps could also be possible.

Mr Mellor went on to say that he backed the Federal Government's preference for a fibre-to-the-node broadband network instead of a more expensive method of extending fibre to people's homes.

Under the Government's plan, broadband connections will happen from nodes, or refridgerator-sized cabinets, on street corners-about 30,000 of them to service around 98% of the population. And copper will do the rest.

Mr Mellor's advice seems sensible to me, when the basic infrastructure for the home is already there and there seems to be no end in sight for copper's capacity to deal with the future.

John Fennell