Russell is talking about broadband again today, and in the process asks the following question:
how come getting a DSL connection on via your third-party ISP takes two weeks - when the same task takes two days if your ISP is Xtra?
More importantly, how come getting a third-party connection results in your suddenly receiving personalised junk-mail from Telecom pimping Xtra's broadband services? Isn't this using information given to them for one purpose - getting a broadband connection up and running - for another, in violation of the Privacy Act? Or do they have some special exemption I don't know about?
Because they are a Monopoly and they are doing what Monopolies do they block competition by any means fair or foul.
ReplyDeleteWe need a New Zealand version of the US
Taft-Hartley laws that broke up the old American telecom companies.
Telecom took our current version, the Commerce Commission, to the Privy Council and won.
They just do what they want including junk mail and their obscene profits go flying overseas.
Hurrah for the Market economy.
They always will dominate the market, no matter what roadblocks we try and put in their way.
ReplyDeleteI still think the best bet is to accept this and regulate their prices and products by reference to overseas standards.
To repeat my personal mantra:
ReplyDeleteAll natural monopolies should be government property. The lines and exchanges have to get back into government hands (electric grid and generators too). Leave it up to private companies to offer end-user services.
Buy them with the super fund and maintain a reasonable profit, the $NZ's even low enough just now to drag the money back to do it.