Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
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At last,
the contents of Aardvark's "million-dollar ideas" notebook
are revealed for all to see!
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Note: I'm aware that I've covered this topic extensively in recent
weeks but the number of emails I'm getting from angry DSL users continues
to grow, with many worried that their complaints are falling on deaf
ears. As a result, I did some snooping around the Telecom website in search
of clues as to what's going on.
It's now been five days or so since Telecom's DSL service began suffering
from extensive intermittency and, at times, total outages.
A quick check of the XTRA help page last night
(screenshot) showed
that as of 9pm, the problems still persisted and that the now meaningless
resolution date had been pushed ever further into the future.
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Come on guys -- if you don't know when it will be fixed just say so, don't
go on making lame promises.
Of course we're repeatdly told that it's not XTRA's fault -- they're just
a Telecom customer like everyone else -- but somehow that doesn't explain
why it is that on this page
from the Telecom site we have the XTRA version of Jetstream being promoted
exclusively. What about all Telecom's other ISP customers -- why don't they
rate a mention if the relationship between the Telecom and XTRA is purely
one of supplier and reseller I wonder?
And, while you've got that page on your browser, read carefully the bit
that says in big bold text: "Fast, reliable Internet and data services"
-- and the slightly smaller text that says: "JetStream is a fantastically fast and
reliable way to access the Internet." (screenshot)
If a web-page can be considered to be advertising, perhaps it's time that
someone had words with the
Advetising Standards Authority
about Telecom's wildly inaccurate claims in respect to Jetstream.
However, I suspect that Telecom might be about to make some changes to these
extravagant claims -- and indeed, I see that through
this page
(screenshot) the
company is already trying to cover its backside.
Yes, in a shocking revelation, Telecom is effectively admitting that when
Jetstream breaks, the backup structure is so poor that they can't guarantee
to fix it in a reasonable time.
That's right -- although Telecom/XTRA will happily sell you Jetstream for
business use, if you are planning to rely on it for important communications
or services then they're quietly admitting that only a fool would use it for
such.
Perhaps someone would like to ask the
Hon. Paul Swain
exactly what use all these conferences, seminars and motivational "knowledge wave"
and "innovation" schmoozfests are when a lack of competition is allowing Telecom
to neglect what must be considered one of the most core ingredients of a
modern knowledge economy -- DSL broadband.
Of course, given its monopoly position and refusal to allow any other potential
DSL provider to gain access to the critical "last mile", Telecom has no reason
to be worried about the Jetstream reliability fiasco. Hell, it's probably
making even more money than usual because many of its customers are paying
by the megabyte to repeatedly try and download the same files after being
unexpectedly disconnected.
One can't help but get the impression that Telecom is merely paying lip-service
to the implementation and support of DSL in New Zealand -- after all, why would it
offer a *reliable* low-cost service through Jetstream when it really wants
to sell you one of its far more expensive and profitable services such as DDS
or frame relay?
Telecom, please -- if (by your own admission) you can't (or wont) provide a reliable
DSL service then please step aside and allow other providers to do the job
properly by allowing them access to the local loop.
That any government would allow what is rapidly becoming an "essential service"
on which a growing number of knowledge-based industries are highly reliant
to be neglected and dominated by just one player is just outrageous.
Given that building a knowledge-based economy here in New Zealand is, by
the government's own declaration, the key to our future competiveness in
world markets, then perhaps we should let the government know that we
consider it an election issue. Don't just think about it -- email
pswain@ministers.govt.nz and
your local MP
to tell them just how serious this matter is.
What do we have to do to get something better than a third-world DSL
service in this country???
Have your say.
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