Fact Check: Trump is Right About Fibre and Copper Internet.
Donald Trump might say a lot of dumb stuff, he's more of that whacky uncle than a president. But it also might be he's biggest selling point. It's always funny watching younger generations get so worked up at the president. For the record, I am not Trump's biggest fan. But I also don't think he is as bad as everyone says he is. He does say a lot of things and my statement is often the centre of debates at home.
For context, my family is of Aboriginal heritage so we have seen oppression, racism and all that stuff people raise. I can tell you right now, none of that was caused by Trump, so when people try to make me angry at Trump for it, I scratch my head wondering why people are not concerned with current problems and the people doing it, rather than the person dropping one liners that are akin to dad jokes. Yes, some probably are boarderline racist, but when you have my perspective of the world, he's remarks are docile at best.
If they cause people to do dumb stuff that is more the person acting out and looking to blame someone for their actions. As the saying goes "If you're friends jumped off a cliff would you follow?".
But let's get to the gritty post for today, the criticism he is receiving for he's founded comments on Fibre (Glass) + Copper. Because he is right.
Trump Is Right
So some of the people are getting caught on the small things just to prove a point and it will have detrimental impacts if they do so. YES Fibre and Copper can be connected together but just because it can, doesn't mean it should or that it actually works and here's why.
Australia about a decade ago under a Labor government was rolling out Fibre to the premises upgrades to broadband internet that would have delivered some of the fasted internet on the planet. The problem was that it was expensive and in newer areas it was fine to lay the new model.
But for established areas, the incoming Liberal Government was looking for shortcuts and cost cuts, so they did Fibre to the node which are often junction points in the streets. Then retained the old copper to the home. Now the junction point enabled the Fibre and Copper to work together but it has a massive impact.
Copper can not sustain the same connection and speeds and Fibre so all the homes on copper pretty much got bottlenecked and still had the same problems as all the access points became bottlenecks and true speeds were never met.
Australian's backlash as NBN CEO Blames Copper For Performance problems
Back in 2018 after Australian's were told their tax money was going to be used to upgrade the internet and deliver everyone 100mbs backlash rose as many were still stuck on 20 - 25mbs. Even today, the average internet speed experienced is 58.9Mbs a massive shortfall of the 100Mbs we were told we would get from the use of our tax money.
The pressure was on for the NBN Co. The National company established by the Government to oversee the project and come up with explanations to the problems. Yup, you guessed it. The reason for the slow speeds is the copper elements that have been used with Fibre.
So while you can get the two to work, it drastically impacts the speed of the internet and brings it to the lowest common denominator. Copper.
So, Trump is right.
And to add insult to injury the OECD has recently blasted Australia for it's inequality to access the internet which is now becoming a vital part of life.
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