Telstra sucks!

I want to add my voice to the growing chorus of Australians who realise that the big giant Telco in the Sky (Telstra) really does suck, have really been the cause of Australia's useless position in the world telecommunication market place and are extraordinarily guilty of putting NOTHING in front of their own profit and monopoly for too long. And it is all of us that pay the price of that selfishness.

Let me give you my example. I have an ADSL account with a service provider (not Telstra - they are simply a rip-off - and that is easy to prove). Of course, while I am not with them, I still need to use my normal phone copper wiring sent to my home which was done by Telstra. I want ADSL 2+. I want faster internet, pure and simple. Most of the western world has great access to fast internet (this is not a hollow claim, do some research online). We don't.

I rang an ISP who offers ADSL 2+ in my area. The guy on the phone did some checking of my phone number against the Telstra database. That database said that it is unlikely that I can get ADSL 2+. The reason is simple - ADSL 2+ degrades over distance of cable. I'm borderline. I could take the gamble, but it costs money to switch ISP, and the likelihood is once the tests are completed they find I can still only have ADSL 1.

Of course, Telstra won't DO the tests until the switch is made... so it's a gamble I'm not going to take.

So, what's the problem. What's my alternative? Simple. There is no alternative that makes any sense cost-wise. And the future? Still nothing. Why? Because I was told by an ex-Telstra employee that they laid rubbish cable right into the 90's, knowing full well they should be laying data quality cable, but weren't. This is second hand info, so I cannot confirm it, but it certainly lines up with what I can see in my situation.

So I'm stuck. While in Korea I could have easy access to super fast internet at a cheap rate, I'm not. I'm in Australia. Where we have had a monopoly telco provider run by the government until recently that is so backwards in technological terms that getting out of that ditch of short-sightedness may literally take decades!

Couple that with the fact that all their services are over priced compared to the competition and the 'value add' they provide is worthless in most cases, and the situation stinks.

I can tell you one thing. I won't be buying Telstra shares. Not ever. I can't support a company that short sighted that is that disinterested in innovation and helping take forward this country of ours into the technological age.

It's a similar situation to Channel 9 suing ICE TV rather than supporting and embracing new technologies. Short sighted slow moving behemoths that hold all the money and like to throw around legal threats instead of supporting emerging technologies that could secure their business TRULY frustrate me - and they should frustrate you too! Why? Because it effects us all in the long run. Instead of being in the forefront, they lag behind because they don't see what is coming, then they use their position to stifle competition and threaten legal action at every turn because they have the funds to do so. It stinks! It really stinks! Vote with your feet people. Stay away from companies that are more interested in monopoly and law suits than innovation and advancement.

Thanks Telstra. Your disinterest in the country that supports your business, and your lack of care for us is inspiring! Inspiring us to stay away from your company in droves. Here's to hoping more and more people stay away until the big blind juggernaut finally catches on!

End of rant.