Cheap Broadband... F*** Yeah

[Ripper]

Xtra has annouced a new broadband plan...

Telecom has launched its new Xtra broadband retail plans, amid fears the company is squeezing other internet service providers.

Telecom general manager of consumer marketing Kevin Bowler said the new plans had two main points.

All now would have maximum download speeds -- as fast as customers' lines would allow -- rather than speeds being restricted as was the case previously, he said.

Secondly a Go Large plan was being introduced, which would be just $10 more than the most popular $39.95-a-month Go plan.

Go Large will provide an unlimited amount of data, subject to a fair use policy, compared to Go which provides 1 gigabit, after which downloading is slowed to dial-up speed.

The new plans will be available from October 26, with existing customers moved to the new plans progressively from that date.[/b]

But all the other companies are having sulk... now I haven't been the biggest fan of Xtra, but wasn't this the whole arguement by the other ISPs, forcing Xtra to do this kind of move? Either way, New Zealand is finally get decent Internet plans... if only the government did this 2 or 3 year sooner.

 

[Serge]

woh, woh, woh, woh, woh, woh, woh, woh. Lois this isn't my batman cup!


So does that mean for $50 we get unlimited download/upload at the fastest speed available? If it is, it's time to get broadband.

 

[MonoTurd]

if it is, then its time to go back to the Go plan

 

[umosay]

Gotta be a catch.. surely

 

[Ripper]

The only catch is that all the other ISP's are having a cry, and are trying to block it. Time for a pipebomb campaign me thinks, still got some leftover from the abortion clinc campaigns.

 

[Serge]

Other isps are complaining that Telecom are trying to edge out competitors so they can put the price back up again.

But if that happened wouldn't the Commerce Commision come in and kick their arse?

 

[C A Iversen]

A punishment from the commerce commision is more like a slap on the ass.

Telecom will just grin and ask for more.

 

[Ripper]

Here's hoping,

 

[Gay-Guy]

I'd say they were trying to kill the competitors by getting more customers BEFORE unbundling comes into effect. Once unbundling happens then the other competitors can offer the same thing...the problem is most people would have already signed with Xtra and will see changing over for the same deal a waste of time. also the other competitors would have been weakened by having so many customers jump and will be in catch up mode....


...so yeah...this new deal is not a hoax...it is the real deal....the catch is on the other providers......they will suffer as they watch helplessly their customers jumping months before they are allowed to offer the same deal. Ideally Telecom wants to have as many customers with them as they can BEFORE things even out. If the other providers go bust then Telecom will slowly over time increase the charges...they will only lower it if the other providers try and undercut them which they can afford to fight that fight since they will be the ones on the front foot with the majority market share. Either way telecom wins and may eventually end up 6 years from now being the sole distributor again through greater shear resources. Then we will be back to square one, complaining about their high prices and wondering bemused at how they have a monopoly in an open market????

I would try and avoid Telecom and their greed if possible. Or if the temptation is too great then take the new telecom plan but tell them to go jump themselves when the other providers hands are freed up to offer the same. Be wary of any "fixed" term stuff telecom may be offering...especially the two year deals.

KEEP THE MARKET EVEN!!!

 

[Ripper]

Bah, Humbug.

I mean, Unbundling is in what... 6 months time, I highly doubt they'll all go bust in that period. And if your doomsday scenario does somehow come true and they all disappear, and Telecom is all that left and start raising prices, surely a new company will pop up, whether it be a Slingshot or some overseas telecom who can smell an untapped market.

At the same time, you add $10 if you aren't a Telecom customer or something like that, and all the old people or people who don't download are unlikely to switch ISP's, when they can get the same plan cheaper in 6 months, if they need it at all.

And besides, there are still some limits - You can only download 700mb between 4PM and Midnight.