by Nephilim on Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:41 am 
			
			well as a native of the US that has lived in australia for about 8 months i can tell you this: the companies here sell internet access by the download, like comcast is about to do. i'm pretty sure the main reason for this is b/c the main telecom corp here, Telstra, is essentially a gov't run operation that had a monopoly until just recently, and still operates in near-monopoly circumstances in some ways. so there is no competition for them, thus they can charge way too much for way too little access. i have paid $40 per month for 5GB of downloads, which is really pretty lame. i have also paid about $45 for 4 gigs "onpeak" and 4 gigs "offpeak."
here's why it shouldn't be that big of a deal in the US: competition. here is Oz, the population is around 25 million, and the numbers of consumers just aren't there. the cost of living here is way too high. back in the US, there will be some company that offers unlimited downloads like always, while others are starting to restrict access, and the unlim company will start rolling in dough. the market will save us! i hope......and i hope someboy fucking breaks the big boys here.....
cell phones are the same way, ridiculously expensive here, you wouldn't believe it. no rollover minutes, no extras.....hell, home phone is way too frickin expensive.....
RANT OVER
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