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Post by trog @ 10:38am 19/04/11 | 31 Comments
The final report from the Whirlpool Australian Broadband Survey 2011 is now online and as always has some interesting insights about Australia's broadband use.

Gaming is still an important part of broadband use in Australia - 44.1% of respondents have indicated that gaming is a reason they have broadband. In terms of ISP performance for gaming, Internode rated the highest at 54.6%, with Telstra, iiNet and Amnet next in line hovering just below the 40% mark. 3G gaming is not popular (...duh) with wireless connections rating as pretty flaky.

One question that isn't there though is the breakdown of how many respondents belong to which ISP, which would be a useful comparison as well. However, there's a lot of other interesting data there (including the fact that almost 40% of respondents are either neutral or negative about the NBN!) so if you're interested in the state of affairs it's worth a look.



whirlpoolsurveybroadbandaustralia





Latest Comments
Twisted
Posted 11:07am 19/4/11
Who couldn't be neutral or negative about a grossly expensive govt project run with the efficiency and gusto we've come to expect from any govt.
One question that isn't there though is the breakdown of how many respondents belong to which ISP, which would be a useful comparison as well.
If you hover over the figures, it brings up a value for the various %'s.

So based on that if you add it up:

Telstra respondents to the gaming quality: 1087
vs
Internet respondents to gaming quality: 2526

At least I figure that's how it works :)

But then when you hover over the "Is this the first broadband provider you've subscribed to?" one...the numbers don't seem to add up to numbers in previous questions. So maybe I'm wrong :)

last edited by Twisted at 11:07:25 19/Apr/11
Outlaw
Posted 11:05am 19/4/11
I'm not neutral or negative about the NBN. Its long over-due.
Totenkopf
Posted 11:09am 19/4/11
TPG FTW!
`ViPER`
Posted 11:10am 19/4/11
including the fact that almost 40% of respondents are either neutral or negative about the NBN!


Or to put it another way, 78% are Neutral to Very Positive about the NBN.

See I can distort Figures towards my own Bias too.
Reverend Evil™
Posted 11:12am 19/4/11
I haven't read much about the NBN although I know it's meant to be faster than dial-up. So does the Government own it themselves and will they be like their own ISP? Or will they just let all the other telco's use it for a price?
trog
Posted 11:17am 19/4/11
Or to put it another way, 78% are Neutral to Very Positive about the NBN.

See I can distort Figures towards my own Bias too.
You'd think that the Whirlpool community - arguably the biggest broadband / Internet community in Australia - would be uniformly positive about the NBN. The fact that they are not I think speaks volumes.
If you hover over the figures, it brings up a value for the various %'s.
ahhh, cool, thanks I didn't realise that was there. It still seems weird to me that there's not just a simple graph that clearly shows how many respondents were from what ISP.
Pinky
Posted 11:23am 19/4/11

You'd think that the Whirlpool community - arguably the biggest broadband / Internet community in Australia - would be uniformly positive about the NBN. The fact that they are not I think speaks volumes.

I agree with this statement. I think it says a lot.

Although Whingepool is the biggest internet community I'm not really satisfied it represents internet users well though from what I can see - particularly business and casual users where most wouldn't sign up to and us a forum much less complete this survey.

It's a bit of a cop-out statement, but I think it would explain why 'gaming' is so high as a reason for internet usage.
`ViPER`
Posted 11:28am 19/4/11
You'd think that the Whirlpool community - arguably the biggest broadband / Internet community in Australia - would be uniformly positive about the NBN. The fact that they are not I think speaks volumes.


Not realy, You'd expect there'd be a high ammount of people that already have a decent connection and therefore dont want the government to spend the money, because they think its not going to make things any better for them.

They live in there little world of easily available fast broadband and dont see the bigger picture.
trog
Posted 11:29am 19/4/11
Not realy, You'd expect there'd be a high ammount of people that already have a decent connection and therefore dont want the government to spend the money, because they think its not going to make things any better for them.
You've BEEN to the whirlpool forums before, right?
`ViPER`
Posted 11:34am 19/4/11
You've BEEN to the whirlpool forums before, right?


Yeah a fair bit, and there is a high percentage of selfish whinging people.

People that dont realy care if the rest ot Australia get decent broadband.
Twisted
Posted 02:23pm 19/4/11
Yeah a fair bit, and there is a high percentage of selfish whinging people.
Wait are you describing the Internet or Whirlpool? I think you just described the Internet...
parabol
Posted 02:47pm 19/4/11
Internode owning at almost everything as usual :)
greazy
Posted 03:05pm 19/4/11
You'd think that the Whirlpool community - arguably the biggest broadband / Internet community in Australia - would be uniformly positive about the NBN. The fact that they are not I think speaks volumes.
I don't agree with this. NBN is intertwined with politics to the point of absurdity. Anyone who dislikes labor will dislike NBN.

It's silly.
infi
Posted 03:10pm 19/4/11
Most of the questions re NBN are not well phrased because they don't propose a total deal for the consumer to consider.

Of course people will choose 25/100mbit - that is until they see the f*** off price tag. Rubbish survey.
dranged
Posted 03:12pm 19/4/11
IMO there's a high noise-to-signal ratio on Whirlpool, at least I remember it being that way.

Thankfully there's quite a bit more transparency out there these days, so the guys with their own agendas / rentseekers are probably having to emelish the more subtle points which overall in the scheme of things may turn out to be academic.
`ViPER`
Posted 03:15pm 19/4/11
I don't agree with this. NBN is intertwined with politics to the point of absurdity. Anyone who dislikes labor will dislike NBN.


and Bam, infi proves the point.

You'd expect 25/100mb to be pricey at the start.

We currently pay about 2k for a 4mb/4mb connection per month for work, if the NBN can provide a 25/100mb for even the same price, we would switch.
infi
Posted 03:51pm 19/4/11
I am discussing the methodology of the poll, that has nothing to do with the politics of it. How many of those respondents would have a $2k/month internet budget?

last edited by infi at 15:51:38 19/Apr/11
dranged
Posted 03:34pm 19/4/11
Surely there would be a business case for VDSL cabinets in metro @2k a month. Has anyone done this?
Lithium
Posted 06:52pm 19/4/11
3g bigpond wireless represent. full 24mbits speed and 27 ping to sydney without use of antenna. gaming has never been better
infi
Posted 06:58pm 19/4/11
Just on the topic of wireless, because I can't get adsl2 or shdsl to either of my sites I am trying bigair wireless private connection. Should be interesting to see what type of latency we get on our voip.
dazedandconfused
Posted 07:03pm 19/4/11
Do critics of the NBN realise that it will cost more in the long run to do nothing?
skythra
Posted 07:13pm 19/4/11
You'd think that the Whirlpool community - arguably the biggest broadband / Internet community in Australia - would be uniformly positive about the NBN. The fact that they are not I think speaks volumes.
It's called wingepool for a reason.

If anything you could say it more like

"You'd think that whirlpool community, arguably the biggest broadband forum, discussing at all levels the implementation from every form of internet would have a reasonable understanding after lots of discussion about the implementation, benefits, and restrictions of the NBN."

This statement would also be wrong, but it at least counts for the fact that they discuss issues about it, hence there's likely to be many devil advocates.

When have you ever seen 100% agreeance in any forum (be it a literal internet based one, or a forum of people discussing in person).
deadlyf
Posted 07:21pm 19/4/11
In the last twelve months, has broadband value changed?

The results to this question alone invalidate the entire survey. With about 36% saying it's either the same or worse equates to a 36% margin of idiocy.
Horizon
Posted 10:50pm 19/4/11
Alot of people are indifferent or dont want it simply because they dont need it period. The current crop of internet delivery services satisfies my and my friends needs.

What people fail to realise when discussing the NBN is that its not only a tax payer funded scheme in a time of high national debt, but its business plan is based upon an extremely high pick up rate (73% of all households) for it to remain viable with the heavily subsidised costs to implement run and maintain in remote areas. If people are already reporting they dont "need" it how is it a good idea knowing it cant be maintained indefinitely?

You can make arbitrary statements about "short sighted" "ignorant" and "egalitarianism" but at the end of the day those opinions dont sustain the network.... :/
Jim
Posted 11:35pm 19/4/11
Alot of people are indifferent or dont want it simply because they dont need it period.
those people aren't really in a position to determine what they need though, they're just not ready for that kind of responsibility
deadlyf
Posted 11:39pm 19/4/11
What people fail to realise when discussing the NBN is that its not only a tax payer funded scheme in a time of high national debt
Not being in surplus is not the same as having a high national debt.
but its business plan is based upon an extremely high pick up rate (73% of all households) for it to remain viable

Telstra's copper network is being decommissioned, not sure if you understand the implications of that.
with the heavily subsidised costs to implement run and maintain in remote areas.

It's not going to be in remote areas, those poor bastards have to put up with wireless.
You can make arbitrary statements about "short sighted" "ignorant" and "egalitarianism" but at the end of the day those opinions dont sustain the network.... :/

Now don't you feel silly.
Dodgymon
Posted 10:54am 20/4/11
but its business plan is based upon an extremely high pick up rate (73% of all households) for it to remain viable

Telstra's copper network is being decommissioned, not sure if you understand the implications of that.


This could form the defninition of being digitally raped with thge NBN forcing themselves upon us!
`ViPER`
Posted 11:04am 20/4/11
This could form the defninition of being digitally raped with thge NBN forcing themselves upon us!


You realise the NBN is realy just the physical network?

Its like saying, Energez/SEQEB is raping you because they are forcing there evil electricity wires into your house.

I've got a question for infi. Given you can get ADSL now, if the NBN comes around and hooks you up, would you use it?

taggs
Posted 11:26am 20/4/11
of course he will if the price/speed/data is better than he already has - no rational person would do otherwise.

the NBN from a taxpayer point of view is a sunk cost, he's already paid (and will pay) his share of the construction costs through his current and future tax liabilities. so as long as the retail price/performance is right then you'd be stupid not to.

that doesn't detract in any way from the arguments against a tax-payer funded network in general or the specific criticisms levelled at the NBN in its current form so i'm not really sure what your point is here.
FaceMan
Posted 11:39am 20/4/11
Losing the copper network is not going to force people to use the NBN.
They can use Wireless technology for their Phoneline.

How does the phoneline part of the NBN work ?
Do we have to pay a "landline rental" component or does the phone come as a free extra with the internet connection ?
Dodgymon
Posted 12:52pm 20/4/11
Its like saying, Energez/SEQEB is raping you because they are forcing there evil electricity wires into your house.

Ergon/Energex are actually raping though so I see this as the same thing. We have no say whatsoever in electicity prices.

I'll answer your Q directed at infi.
I will use it and I am sure infi would too as long as prices are competitive to what we currently have now but the main issue with the NBN is that the cost to the taxpayer does not justify the end result.

We should definitly have more firbe but make it so that it is at least commecially viable(i.e. metro, semi-metro areas).
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