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In this day in age, it’s safe to assume that most households have some form of access to the internet. Whether it’s through cable, ADSL, fibre-optics, satellite, or even through the use of wireless 3G/4G networks that is used predominantly by mobile phones. Access to the internet is such a huge phenomenon, that it is deeply integrated into our society and culture. Consequently, this leads many to look for the best internet provider to improve their internet experience. But what impacts on a consumers internet experience? As consumers, we look for a number of things in our internet service providers (ISP’s) – reliability, customer service, cost, contract length and the terms of service. However, one thing that I personally look for when deciding on a ISP is the internet speed. Internet speed is more often than not, the deciding factor when choosing which ISP to go with (personally). But how important is fast internet speed?
The national broadband network (NBN) – initially planned and commenced by the labor party Rudd government. It was promised to deliver download speeds ranging from 25mbps to 100mbps on the users end. A big argument regarding the NBN is whether or not we actually need it. According to Nansen’s “Broadbanding Brunswick”, consumers care a lot less for their internet speed when compared to their daily caps, reliability and download limits. They also note that internet speed is “often understood in intuitive or experiential ways rather than quantitatively”. Reliability of internet is also a growing concern in Australia’s ISP’s. In “Physical Place and Cyberplace: The Rise of Personalized Networking” by Wellman, he states that “one in five Australian households [express] dissatisfaction with their speed”.
Another argument against the NBN is the cost of implementing it. The Coalition’s Plan for Fast Broadband and an Affordable Plan (Coalition, 2013), provided an overview of the new government’s intentions and strategies. Within this document they dismiss and suggest alternatives for Labor’s original plan, stating it’s a “massive waste of public money and resources”. Secondly, they suggest using a mix of technologies rather than the complete replacement of copper to fibre-optics.
One of the most important stakeholders for the NBN is the end user. A big question is whether or not they will actually benefit as much as they think. Most people will use their internet for things such as; social media (Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat) and streaming (YouTube, Vimeo and Netflix). Based on that, is it worth investing so much public money into something as menial as those said tasks? What is more important – I think, is reliability and global connection. As an avid online gamer, I always have connection issues when playing with people overseas.
Overall, I think the NBN is something I wish I could have in my home. But logically thinking, I think there are a number of different areas where our money should be invested in first. Infrastructure, health services and protection is just a few of the areas where the money would benefit most. Internet, while it is commonly used, is just not justifiable at this time.