LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Ian McLeod <drwho@firstlinux.net>
  To  : Richard Sharpe <sharpe@ns.aus.com>
        <;>
        < linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 20:09:07 -0800 (PST)

Re: ADSL & Primus

Who are you going through?

You are right on a few points.  But Telstra did have a long time to upgrade their infrastructure.  A bit like the several billion dollars that never went to roads.  There is no excuse for it whichever diplomatic way you look at it.

I know this is just adding to the general malaise - however it has to be said.  Australia is backward and there is no reason we should be.  I have met Rwandans and Nigerians who were amazed how backward (read commodity dependant) our economy is.  We may have first world tastes - but we have a third world economy.  And Telstra did sweet FA to help address the problem.

I heard (I am willing to stand corrected if I am wrong) that Canada had far worse if not similar problems as far as quality infrastructure goes - yet they seem to have got their act together.  Why are we so slow?

On the bright side I have heard many good rumours about Dingo Blue - lets hope they are the ones to save the day.

--- Richard Sharpe <sharpe@ns.aus.com>
> wrote:
>At 09:27 PM 2/21/01 -0800, Ian McLeod wrote:
>>
>>They want me to sign a 12 month contract for '1.5Mbs' connection with (at
>this 
>>time unconfirmed) $300 yearly renewal fee at $135 / month.  I think a 12
>month 
>>contract is unreasonable - 3-4 months would be fine.  I also do not own the 
>>modem - I rent it for around $300 / year.
>
>With the exception of $300/year renewal, that does not seem to be much
>different to the others I have seen. Does it have a download limit.
>
>>I am wondering if ADSL is worth the bother at all considering the technology 
>>has been available for a very long time now and is much cheaper in other 
>>countries ($30 / month in the USA I heard).
>
>Well, I was told by a reliable source today that he has just signed up for
>a USD80/month plan that is 1.5Mb/s down and unlimited data rate. There was
>also no install/sign/join fee, and on a business plan, they throw in a
>small aDSL router.
>
>However, given that aDSL has been going for longer in the US than here, and
>the geater competition and market, I do not think you can really compare.
>
>I have taken up a 1.5Mb/s aDSL link at around $139/month, and I can tell
>the difference. Download speeds of 80kB/s are great.
>
>I now have the WebGear Wireless kit (2Mb/s) with a Linux gateway/firewall
>between us and the internet, and it is great. The wireless gear was very
>easy to set up. Everything needed is in the latest releases; in my case I
>used Mandrake 7.2.
>
>>When I asked about Linux support or the willingness to provide technical 
>>informatiion if required (I made it clear time and time again that I am
>happy 
>>to work things out myself if I just have the right techincal informatin) - 
>>Primus literally told me to get stuffed - they told me that I am on my own 
>>thank you very much.  All I was asking is if Primus uses standard protocols, 
>>set up, etc, and if - I would be fine.
>
>Well, the ISP I am using is quite happy for me to use Linux or FreeBSD, or
>anything. And, they even have people who know about Linux and FreeBSD.
>Someone called Mark, I believe.
>
>
>Regards
>-------
>Richard Sharpe, sharpe@ns.aus.com
>Samba (Team member, www.samba.org), Ethereal (Team member, www.ethereal.com)
>Contributing author, SAMS Teach Yourself Samba in 24 Hours
>Author, Special Edition, Using Samba

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