The recent requirement by the Australian government for telecommunications companies to release data about their infrastructure to bidders for the new government FTTN (fiber to the node) network may have unexpected costs to Australian tax payers. The legislation calls for voluntary submission of the data. The data will be going to both the government and bidders on the FTTN spectrum for the national broadband initiative.

A few years ago an idea came down the pike that was supposed to bring broadband to every corner of Australia. That idea, broadband over power lines, has now died a quiet death. The Australian utilities have abandoned the technology.