[nzlug] RE: ./ - broadband isn't, broadband unless its at least 2Mbps

[Mathew Carley]

 >>Jeremy Naylor Wrote
 >>Yeah, true - I know. In case you don't know and want to know, my Dad 
(Richard Naylor) started CityLink (www.citylink.co.nz). So, I know what 
*real* >>broadband can be like here in NZ. ;)

Citylink is nice and all, but unfortunately it's only available in a 
very limited area, and thus couldn't really be considered mainstream 
and/or widely available. Additionally, it's more aimed at the commercial 
market.

Unlike the broadband in just about every other country which serves the 
majority of the populus (or at least the majority of the city/zip code 
if we want to get started on the US), and which can be received by a 
large percentage therefore of the consumer population.

Telecom has, in the past (assuming it has dropped this excuse and moved 
on) used the "we are a small country with a small market" excuse for its 
abysmal broadband penetration and pricing (etc), however they can't then 
explain how countries with similar populations (Denmark, Norway, Finland 
would be my primary examples) have such  good penetration AND pricing. 
Then they go ahead and use the "we're an island in the middle of 
freaking nowhere" excuse but then fail to explain countries like Iceland.

Hell broadband is even better in some "third world" countries - in 
Thailand a 512kbps ADSL line costs about 700 baht (about NZD30) - which, 
while out of reach for a large portion of the population given the 
average income, is still *quite* cheap, though it's only really 
available in the large cities, but at least it serves the pretty much 
the entire city and not just the CBD.