Internet Service Providings

In NZ we are lucky to be relatively advanced in terms of service technology (I am thinking of banks and online services), probably because we are a small country with low(er) levels of bureaucratic inertia, and quick uptake. So it is frustrating that competition has only just been introduced for broadband, following unbundling of the local loop network (after the government wedgied Telecom, then threatened it with a chinese burn, then got fed up and passed legislation). Presumably because it was omnipotent, Telecom kept a pretty crappy network, so speeds were (and are) quite slow compared to other OECD countries.

Now that we have competition, we have something new to whinge about. At home we have an unlisted number to put off those pesky telemarketers. Unfortunately, this cannot stop the door knockers who come by shaking their tins, exhorting us to switch ISP - usually while I am cooking dinner and fending off hungry toddlers. They use all manner of tactics, but my favourite is the "I can offer you this package today only" approach. Yes, YOU can only offer me this package today only, but the exact package is still available from someone in your call centre anytime. Oh! The cheek!

And all this boring trivia I have been blathering on about, is why I find this fonejacker stunt so pants-wettingly funny: