atw: Re: Exetel to offer 1.5Mbit for $25

Formula involves the following. Suggest you contact Choice magazine.

Initial ping times 
Average bandwidth 
News/web/email/ftp/etc (define ISP) coverage/speed
Total bandwidth allowance / period
Service availability
Cost

Let's take some practical examples. IMHE:

<Years of modeming on X-bar's AXEd due to irrelevance> {a telco joke, sorry
guys}

Telscrap cable: service levels regularly dipping below 90% which was my
threshold for complaining. I was fairly forgiving because I work with
network dudes and have a number of personal, technical contacts in Telstra
that have created some pretty amazing things. If you are ever bored I highly
suggest you check out the Aussie's ACT Black Mountain Tower's communications
capacity. Pine gap is also mind screwing, but your chances of a tour are
like... you know. Ping times awesome. Av B/W awesome. Etc coverage awesome.
Total b/w SUCKED. Initial cost ok, climbed rapidly into sucked chronically
(total B/W).

So , availability and total bandwidth sucked. Unacceptable parameters for my
requirements. Mine are mildly unusual requirements, given the average user.
My group forms the minor mean. I went to optical pus cable. Ping good, av
b/w great, coverage damn good. Avail was good, total b/w was initially
awesome (uncapped) and then soon sucked chronically (capped).

So I went to ADSL. TPG. Initially their ping times sucked, now they have
amalgamated all the independent ISPs vs Telstra, Telstra has agreed to
peering with them. Additionally, major hardware upgrades at TPG to allow for
us subscribers to ADSL improved matters no end. Now ping times are pretty
good. I am uncapped, thus total b/w rates AWESOME. Although my av b/w is a
whole lot less, I download approximately what the BRAND NEW cable plans
allow in the same period. If the old spit bridge is opening, a 200 mile an
hour trip in your Ferrari aint going any faster than my well timed 50. I pay
a bit less. Avail - umm, my computer went down once from a local lightning
strike, they were back up in an hour, I wasn't :-) Other than that, I have
NOT noticed it being out ever. The old 3 9's. I think I received one or two
network outage notices, they obviously didn't affect me :-)

HOWEVER

To keep it a fair argument we need to look at least one other story. I have
several mates called John. Let's look at John 1.

John 1 works like a proper bastard, has enormous social commitments. He
doesn't download too much, but when he does, he wants it YESTERDAY as he has
no time. He loves his telstra cable. He doesn't approach the cap and gets
really quick service.

John 2 also works like a proper bastard but doesn't have the social
commitments. His business requirements are also signifcantly reduced
compared to John 1. He enjoys his optus cable.

Steve 2 (that is, not me, but another clone who enjoys my namesake) is a
technical whizz. Needs high everythings. Loves and sells pac aus. They do
NOT have email filtering, TPG does, and my lifestyle mandates such at an ISP
level at the minimum.


So...

My initial ISP coverage etc issue starts to grow, and depends on your
elifestyle. <When you coin a term, you hope it gets cashed in :-)> It is
possible to measure all this, which is why I offer it up, but be very aware
that the diversity of choice means an increasing responsibility to analyse
your own behavioural requirements for the stated resources.

Steve Hudson

Word Heretic, Sydney, Australia 
Tricky stuff with Word or words for you.
www.wordheretic.com
ABN: 86 453 419 554   
"Qualified Good Tech Writer Dude"
Fellowship of the Ring of Technical Writers, Yeah Baby!
Without prejudice

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