From: Anonymous <anon@anon.efga.org>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 22:22:19 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: None
Message-ID: <a9655ba41b479c0163121313d730e004@anon.efga.org>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Interesting article concerning monopoly telco's crying poor (as 
usual) and asking someone else, in this case citizens of the USA to 
help pay for our (Australia and ors) infrastructure 
development...unbelievable. 

Article by Andrea Evagora
 
[...]
>    In Australia, Telstra Corp. Ltd. (Melbourne) is dealing with a
[...]
>    This year, Telstra will lose US$10 million on providing Internet
>    circuits to the United States. By 2000, the total spending on
>    U.S.-bound Internet circuits from all non-U.S. service providers will
>    reach US$2.5 billion, Hibbard notes. "We are providing resources for
>    which we are not adequately compensated," he says. "At the same time,
>    I am offering U.S. users access to Australian databases without

_He_ is offering??? Just when did Hibbard start putting _his_ money 
where his mouth is? Of course Hibbard doesnt do this he is a paid 
employee doing a rather poor job. Australians are paying for this 
through their monopoly telco Telstra. 

>    getting a brass razoo." Hibbard explains that traffic from the United
>    States to Australia gets a free ride, as U.S. service providers aren't
>    contributing to the international connection.

Of course he could always pull the plug and then we'd see just how 
long the Telstra monopoly would last. Naturally the americans would 
be so eager to connect with us they'd gladly pay for a new US-Oz
cable after the free ride they've been getting till now.
    
[...]
>    Carriers that offer free local calls, such as Singapore Telecom Ltd.
>    and Telstra, are the most eager for change as they recoup little or no

Let me assure everyone that Telstra DOES NOT OFFER free local
calls. Our telephony costs in Australia are amongst the highest in the
world. We pay 25c for a local call plus monthly line rental, telephone
rental and connection charges. Its absolute bulldust to suggest they
make no money from the internet given the increase in the number of
calls a user makes once connected to the net. Telstra itself is an ISP
(through thier so called 'Big Pond' 'service'. Why do they bother if
it loses them money I wonder. Telstra try to run the timed local calls
crap every year or so as well and have managed to get enabling
legislation through parliament this year.

People want to connect to the US for a reason. At a rough guess 
perhaps it's because that's where a lot of the content is...geee 
rocket scientist stuff hey. The quotes from Hibbard clearly 
illustrate the cluelessness of Australia's monopoly telco executives 
and the anti-free market let someone else pay for it attitude (in 
this case the USA..i still can't believe the arrogance of this 
Hibbard freak) that pervades the organization. With twonks like this 
running the show no wonder he's concerned about our archaic 
infrastructure that is failing to meet the needs of the current age 
and will continue to fail due to poor forecasting and capital 
planning. 

Another good reason for Australian content developers to locate their
servers overseas.