• MisterFrog@aussie.zone
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    4 days ago

    My thesis on this is that instead of having a private company build and own the telecom networks (and have a monopoly in many regions), and then customers pay for it, we could save money as a community by just building it ourselves, like we once used to, and selling the services at cost (or less than cost depending what the infrastructure is, like roads or trains)

    I remain pretty sceptical that privatisation has ever been a net good for the community, ever.

    • Nath@aussie.zoneM
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      4 days ago

      I agree that is the best approach. And so did Kevin Rudd. You’re describing NBNCo, and I think that’s been a great achievement for the nation - despite a decade of lies and resistance from the coalition about its successes. The two big issues with this approach are:

      1. What we saw with the NBN: The political party who doesn’t build it will smear it and taint it with the populace.
      2. Eventually, the government could look at this lovely piece of infrastructure as a huge asset that it can sell for a quick buck to fund some shiny thing.
      • MisterFrog@aussie.zone
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        4 days ago

        NBN is great yeah (though I am unfamiliar if that was directly employed), the retailers who sell it on seem superfluous to me though.