Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: New on the Street

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  • Thrash Cardiom,

    Yes, you could well be right there. We were sent out the expectations for the Tasman District which included most of our smaller settlements but not all.

    In my district we only have two towns that make the grade. 50%+ of the population miss out.

    CHB • Since Nov 2006 • 55 posts Report Reply

  • Thom James,

    About frickin' time. As a Point Chev resident, I've come within a hair's breadth of destroying both computer and modem out of sheer frustration at the naffness of our broadband over the years.

    I have to say though, I've noticed an improvement to the speed/quality over the last month or so, obviously before connection to the new cabinets. I'm sure I've not been imagining it, since compared to how godawful it used to be, it's been running like a dream.

    Can you shed any light on that Russell (or any other Chevites), or am I perhaps suffering from some blissful delusion in anticipation of having broadband speeds that shit all over the rest of the country? I'm on Wainui Ave btw, one over from Meola.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2007 • 63 posts Report Reply

  • Leigh Kennaway,

    Just kidding. I understand you're saying a guy drives to the cabinets each day in a ferrari, gets everyone's email out & walks it the last mile or so to your place.

    I reckon, when he gets to the cabinet, he should phone me up and read my email out to me.

    Cause all that walking, that's gotta be tiring, and you gotta use the new technology that's available.

    He cld, like, txt it 2 u, dat wld be fstr!

    sunny Pt Chevalier • Since Mar 2008 • 40 posts Report Reply

  • Belt,

    Worryingly, Telecom's executives still seem to believe that demand is low because most people find dial-up for email enough so don't demand or have a need for anything more. Paul Reynolds stated as much at the Local Govt Broadband Forum in Wellington last month. This is a bit of a mantra in the organisation and makes me question just how committed they are to pushing the boundaries of a high speed rollout as compared to just paying lip service

    Or...

    ...they darn well know the truth, but the dialup customer represents one of two markets: 1) the financially destitute, 2) the geographically remote.

    Neither are profitable for Telecom.

    So it suits them to tell non-Telecom people those customers are happy with dial-up.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    ...they darn well know the truth, but the dialup customer represents one of two markets: 1) the financially destitute, 2) the geographically remote.
    Neither are profitable for Telecom.

    Or anyone else at current pricing.

    So it suits them to tell non-Telecom people those customers are happy with dial-up.

    I suspect they're "happy with dial-up" in the same way that many Pt Chev residents were "happy with dial-up" -- that being the sense in which it's really not worth the bother of trying to make DSL work, and dial-up might actually suck less.

    The way forward for rural customers is almost certainly going to be wireless. Orcon is reselling a wireless product from its parent company Kordia, but I don't think it's cheap.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Mikaere Curtis,

    Can you shed any light on that Russell (or any other Chevites)

    The Mt Albert exchange got upgraded to ADSL 2.0 recently (late last year I think), which could explain why you've noticed a better service.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __Can you shed any light on that Russell (or any other Chevites)__

    The Mt Albert exchange got upgraded to ADSL 2.0 recently (late last year I think), which could explain why you've noticed a better service.

    Ah, of course. My backup DSL service went from inoperable to tolerable, and that'll be why. That's an interesting demonstration of the technical strength of ADSL2 even in conditions where it's not supposed to make much of a difference.

    Totally waiting for our cabinet to be commissioned, although it'll be a tough call to dump Wired Country altogether. Especially seeing as, with all his bandwidth, my buddy Ant is still only touching 200KB/s on the BitTorrent, while mine sometimes tops 300K ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I'm on Wainui Ave btw, one over from Meola.

    Flash git. Although we South of Meola peasants did used to cackle over your especially bad broadband up North as we scavenged for food scraps and rags to wear ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    I wonder whether there's going to be a backlash in some suburbs when these cabinets start appearing on their pavements: they're B I G.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Some of my friends have just moved to Horokiwi (9km from downtown Wellington, so hardly the other side of the black stump).

    They don't get broadband due to the dialup setup, so are having to look at various alternative options.

    In my view, if the backblocks areas aren't going to be disadvantaged, Telecom's obligation to service everyone (98% of everyone anyway) needs to extend to broadband. If Telecom, as the monopoly incumbent, doesn't have the motivation or technology then they should pay for the cost of getting service from someone who does.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    I wonder whether there's going to be a backlash in some suburbs when these cabinets start appearing on their pavements: they're B I G.

    I vote the wellingtonista lobby to have them all put in Newtown then.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Thom James,

    __I'm on Wainui Ave btw, one over from Meola.__

    Flash git. Although we South of Meola peasants did used to cackle over your especially bad broadband up North as we scavenged for food scraps and rags to wear ...

    Ha! Inter-Chev snobbery eh...

    Auckland • Since Apr 2007 • 63 posts Report Reply

  • davidamstalden,

    So is there anyplace I can go to get an idea of the expected timeframes for this great leap forward?

    New Plymouth • Since Mar 2008 • 45 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    He cld, like, txt it 2 u, dat wld be fstr!

    Oh look. Now you're just being silly.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Ha! Inter-Chev snobbery eh...

    Intra-Chev Inverted Snobbery ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    In my district we only have two towns that make the grade. 50%+ of the population miss out.

    Yikes! Ugly. Whereabouts?

    One of the slightly optimistic things to come out of the Broadband Forum was a general acceptance amongst most local govt pollies and bigwigs that true broadband had to get into remote rural areas one way or another, that these communities can't be left behind again. Whether that translates to anything meaningful we'll have to wait and see.

    One of the most surprising presentations was from a Far North councillor who admitted that they had no fibre in the ground, no money, had missed out on all Broadband Challenge funding had some of the poorest demographic areas in the country. But they were absolutely committed to a fibre future for their region.

    All power to them I say.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Wait, so this North and South Chev thing actually has some longevity? At least the digital divide has been breached, I suppose.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    The way forward for rural customers is almost certainly going to be wireless. Orcon is reselling a wireless product from its parent company Kordia, but I don't think it's cheap.

    Have a talk to Chris O'Connell ex from Citylink. He's determined to get fibre to his pad up the back blocks of the Hawkesbury Valley in Marlborough. And if anyone can, it's probably him.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Thom James,

    Wait, so this North and South Chev thing actually has some longevity? At least the digital divide has been breached, I suppose.

    Yeah, it's like The Simpsons episode with Old v. New Springfield.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2007 • 63 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Knightly,

    There was a coverage map at the launch. The cabinet that serves my street comes online on April 18. Cool.

    Where can we get a copy of that coverage map? I'm South-side Pt Chev...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 25 posts Report Reply

  • Dave Waugh,

    I vote the wellingtonista lobby to have them all put in Newtown then.

    And they would be most welcome to them, us Shelly bay types will quite happily stick to the Telstra cable!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 98 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __There was a coverage map at the launch. The cabinet that serves my street comes online on April 18. Cool.__

    Where can we get a copy of that coverage map?

    You Telecom comms people lurking? Get someone to knock up a map (one with street names on it) and make it available. To Public Address readers first, obviously ...

    I'm South-side Pt Chev...

    Yo homey.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Ian Bonnar from Telecom Wholesale sent the following by email. It's welcome, but I told him next time he'd have to register and post it himself.

    I work with Mark Watts in media relations for Telecom. We've been following the comments to your article with interest.

    Here's some further information that might help some of the people who are commenting on your story.

    Cabinetisation is a four year long project that once completed will reach every town and city with 500 or more lines, which means it will improve the broadband experience for more than 80% of the total population of New Zealand.

    As it is ADSL broadband is currently available to 93% of New Zealand's population.

    The fact that our current cabinetisation plans take us to all towns with 500 or more lines is also far from the end of the story, as we have said we are happy to work with both central and local government to uncover ways we can reach even further.

    Cabinetisation is absolutely Telecom?s biggest ever infrastructure investment, costing around $1.4bn.

    Off the top of my head I can only think of Air NZ's purchasing of fleets of jet liners that compares in terms of capital investment by a listed company.

    This is not a project that would be undertaken by a company that is paying lip service to fast broadband. We want to turn as many New Zealanders as possible on to fast broadband.

    We have the first three years of our rollout plan available online on http://www.ucll.co.nz/cabinetisation , if anyone wants to see if and when they're scheduled to receive a cabinet. They should click on the Excel spreadsheet linked from that page, and then search for the name of their town or suburb.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    We want to turn as many New Zealanders as possible on to fast broadband.

    Beware the gateway broadband!

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Beware the gateway broadband!

    I can handle it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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