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Already I've noticed that my DSL connection has fallen from 500Kbps to just 200Kbps during the evenings, despite Telecom's claims that I should be getting "up to 2Mbps -- and I attribute at least some of this to the fact (as I've mentioned previously) that they're overcommitting their bandwidth quite significantly.

Now that thousands of students are no longer tied to a school desk during the day I strongly suspect that filetrading networks will really start to sing and broadband will really start to sag under the strain.

And on the subject of DSL broadband, I see that the Commerce Commission has announced its intention to investigate Telecom's Jetstream pricing and bundling strategies.

Well better late than never I suppose, but what's taken them so long to wake up to what many in the industry have been pointing out for a long, long time?

Now have your say Got something to say about today's column, or want to see what others think?  Visit The Forums While you're here, why not visit the Aardvark Hall of Shame and perhaps make your own nomination.

Of course announcing an investigation and actually doing something about addressing the abuses are two totally different things.

I still recall how the Commission investigated Telecom/Xtra's abuse of their 0800 toll-free service back in the mid 1990s when Xtra was seen to offer toll-free access at a rate that no competitor could match.

It was patently obvious to anyone with half a brain that Telecom was offering its own ISP a huge discount on 0800 services and that competitors who also sought to offer customers toll-free access were charged another (much higher) price.

Despite an "investigation", no fault was found in Telecom/Xtra's actions.

Similarly, the memories of an incredible U-turn by the Commission in respect to local loop unbundling must still be fresh in most people's minds.

So what will be the outcome of this latest investigation?

Well I strongly suspect that it's little more than a PR exercise designed to placate those who keep pointing out the blatant abuses of a monopoly on the part of Telecom. If previous experience is anything to go by, expect nothing other than a whitewash -- while most other ISPs are left to pick at the meagre crumbs that Telecom so kindly leave them in the broadband DSL marketplace.

An ACT of kindness?
One of the funniest emails of the year arrived in my mailbox yesterday and I have to share it with you.

"It's Christmas. Still got gifts to give? The most precious things in life, like love, family, friends and The Letter are free. So why not give something very precious?

If you've got friends who would appreciate receiving The Letter, why not give them a subscription? Simply send us their emails, and we will send them an appropriate Christmas greeting from you, and a subscription to The Letter"

Oh please!

Spam, the gift that keeps on giving eh?

A word to Act -- do *NOT* solicit or accept third-party subscriptions to your newsletter, this is something that is far too open to abuse and such abuse not only annoys those who are the victims, it also does bad things to your own reputation.

Next Week
On Monday and Tuesday of next week I'll be up in Auckland filming for The Young Inventors TV series. Since my laptop gave up the ghost some time ago, I doubt I'll be able to publish Aardvark on Monday and it may be late on Tuesday (I get back about 10am).

My apologies for the missing edition(s) and hope you'll forgive me - but if we're to have *fresh* bread for our Christmas vegemite sandwiches (yes, things are still a little "tight" money-wise) this year, I have to do what I can when I can to replenish the coffers.

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