[LINK] Australia begs residents to accept free fiber connection

[Tom Worthington]

Kim Holburn wrote:
> http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/07/australia-begs-residents-to-accept-free-fiber-connection.ars
>> Australia begs residents to accept free fiber connection
> 
>> ... if the installation was free, and if the fiber hookup had no effect on your  
>> existing phone or cable service and committed you to nothing...  
>> wouldn't you take it? ...

Scene: Average suburban home, engineer in a hard hat with "NBN" on it 
knocks at front door. Door opened by householder with a toddler in each 
hand.

Technician: "Good morning, we are installing the NBN in you street,
would you like a connection?"

Householder: "I didn't order one."

Technician: "We are making a free connection offer to everyone in the
street."

Householder: "What will it do for me?"

Technician: "You get very high quality Internet and digital TV"

Householder: "We already have Internet and digital TV"

Technician: "This is better."

Householder: "And it is free?"

Technician: "The installation is free and endorsed by the
Australian Government."

Householder: "That is what the people who installed the ceiling
insulation said. I am still trying to get the smell of smoke out of the 
carpet."

Technician: "This will give you access to the new communications world."

Householder: "Like on my iPhone?"

Technician: "No, we need to put in a cable."

Householder: "But my iPhone and digital TV don't need a cable."

Technician: "This is much better."

Householder: "Okay, but I have to go out in half an hour, so you will 
have to be quick."

Technician: "The trench digger is just around the corner."

Householder: "You want to dig a trench through my garden! To install 
something I don't want? Go away!"


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS CP HLM, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au