Telstra 'extorting' the Government: Competitive Carrier’s Coalition

The following is my opinion: I am a telstra shareholder who has invested in Australias telecommunications network through telstra. Conroy and labor now want to use a similar amount of my money (tax dollars - approx $4,300 ie $43bill/10mill taxpayers) to build a network to compete against my investment in tls. I will receive no direct benefit from their NBN network and will probably end up paying more money for my internet connection. But I will have the pleasure in knowing that my lost investment and tax dollars will help a hole heap of pimply faced tech head nerds download games, p#rn, music, movies etc from overseas faster.

@tls: But I will have the pleasure in knowing that my lost investment and tax dollars will help a hole heap of pimply faced tech head nerds download games, p#rn, music, movies etc from overseas faster.

3 facts:
1) Australian interconnectivity (State to State) is worst then some third world countries
2) The international pipes are undergoing constant upgrades and additions, the Government will not be touching these. The NBN is simply being put in to connect Australians to Australians. Not Australia to the rest of the world.
3) Share prices change, you don't like it then sell now and move into another area. Nothing in IT is absolute and if you worked with those Nerds, you'd know that everything has a 3 year life span. After that it's either outdated or technology has surprassed it by that much that it isn't worth keeping the lights on.

And don't get me started on fair pricing and paying more for your internet connection. Telstra currently charge upwards of 30-40% more then other companies if they're wholeselling through other ISPs and if the NBN gets rid of that dependancy, then so be it.

To John and Gnome spot on posts,
I am concerned at peoples understanding of shares, and even more concerned at what people are prepared to do to protect them.
Word of advice, the writing has been clearly on the wall about Telstra for a number of years, if you havent unloaded those shares, then I dont in the slightest way feel sorry for any of you, quite the reverse, as shareholders have been to a degree responable for the laudable state of the Telco/IT landscape in this country.
Owning a handfull of shares does not give you a position of power to dictate the future of a whole country, and depending on what shares you hold it also shows how you are as a person to spot up coming changes and trends.
Which is ironic, as Telsta was always slow to do changes or failed to guage correctly trends and needs, which is why its in the state its in.
No doubt there will be a load of blustery replies, but as I said I feel not one bit of remorse to the shareholders, who have been warned of this day by many a fund site, and you STILL DIDNT SALE.
As a last note, I sold my entire stake nearly 2 years ago, after reading the reports on Australian Telco/IT needs for the future, and then reading what Telstra was proposing was its way to fix it, and then in the same week happened to read Australias ranking worldwide, I sold up 2 days later.
Why? Because I can spot patch work planning and spin, which was all Telstra was really proposing.

You're right in a way, Jokkey. The reason why Telstra and the others aren't investing is because of the large land mass. Why should any government rely on private companies, who act on their own interests, to improve Australia's infrastructure? Face it! Only the government has the power and the money to improve Australia's infrastructure to bring Australia to the forefront of telecommunications and technology. And I'll be damned if any incumbent tries to stand in their way, Australian or not!