BRISBANE (AAP)

Australians are being offered "fraudband" rather than broadband internet services, Fairfax Media chief David Kirk says.

Mr Kirk told the Queensland University of Technology Business Leaders' Forum in Brisbane he was concerned that cost and low speed was hampering the take-up of broadband internet.

"Fraudband - that's the best way to describe it," Mr Kirk said.

"We've reached a situation where very few people can have access to any sort of broadband that will allow them to download a movie in less than 12 hours.

"So it's just not enough."

Mr Kirk said many Asian nations and the United States had much faster and cheaper broadband internet.

The key problem in Australia was the state of the telecommunications market, which was dominated by one major player, rather than government policy, he said.

"All around the world you do see where there is a very incumbent telecommunications provider and not a lot of competition ... that broadband take-up is slow, broadband pricing is high," Mr Kirk said.

"I think it's usually about market structure and regulation rather than technology or government policy."

Mr Kirk launched a new Fairfax Media online news website, brisbanetimes.com.au while visiting Brisbane.
07/03/2007 04:40:42 PM