Syringe.Net.Nz - @Twitchhiker is a total tool!

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

So it appears that Paul Smith, the TwitchHiker has decided that:

“wherever you go in New Zealand, residents will complain how utterly frustrating the technology is, one born of a telecommunications monopoly and the country's remote placing on the planet”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2307100/Twitchhike-stumbles-at-last-hurdle/

Is our telecommunications infrastructure really that obviously ‘one born out of a telecommunications monopoly’?

I’ve travelled the globe, hell, I’ve travelled the globe in just the past 3 months and our infrastructure in new Zealand is as accessible, as fast and as useful as any other country I’ve visited recently. If Paul Smith wants to fly over here on the generosity of New Zealanders (@flyairnz and others) and then spout his mouth off about out internet infrastructure then he can $%&^$^ off back to Newcastle as far as I’m concerned.

Clueless tool!

[Update]

In the comments someone asked me to back my statements up saying that Mr Smith backed his statements up. Well. Mr Smith just regurgitated the same old ‘Telecom is a monopolistic provider’ crap that seems to do the rounds. And I struggle to see how he could really lay claim to his experience unless he spent his entire time in a hermetically sealed Maui campervan.

So some facts to back it up then.

I travel the country and indeed the world. (9 Countries, 23 cities/airports, 130,000km and 59 days on the road just this year). My iPhone 3G and Tablet PC (with UMTS inbuilt) travel with me everywhere. In NZ this year I’ve been to TUO, HLZ, ROT, DUD, CHC, ZQN, AKL, MRO, NPE, NSN and a bunch of places in between when it’s been via vehicular rather than winged transport. From memory the only place I’ve been without Broadband when I’ve wanted it was at the Outdoor Pursuits Center in the middle of bloody nowhereville near National Park. Anywhere else I’ve had at a bare minimum sufficient GPRS signal to check my mail(I had GPRS at SEHOPC but I wanted broadband) , tweet my tweets and, should I have wanted to, cry poverty and try and sponge some more free travel. While not as ubiquitous as in the USA or Canada, the availability of good quality WiFi (back hauled no doubt by monopoly provided ADSL) is just fine here in NZ and as good as Australia or any other country that I’ve been to recently in South East Asia bar maybe Singapore.

Rants|Wednesday, April 01, 2009 12:11:41 PM UTC|Comments [4]|

Thursday, April 02, 2009 1:03:38 PM UTC

I think Paul Smith backed up his assertions with facts as printed and experience as lived. If you have information that counters his information could you print a link? It would help shed light instead of opining a rebuttal with hate for a visitor to NZ.

Graham Hardie

Thursday, April 02, 2009 6:38:38 PM UTC

Thank you for your update.

I think your tone was very hostile to Paul and uncalled for. He was traveling to raise money for a reputable charity and relying on the charity of others. I think calling him a tool (a put down in Canada) is not very helpful to your presentation. You are obviously well educated and well versed in human interaction. Telling someone to take off and leave your country does nothing to move along your argument.

Here is a link I was expecting. NZ ranks in the bottom half of Broadband Rankings. I am no specialist in the subject nor do I intend to become one. I rely on others to gather the data and filter out the opinion. I am sure you have had great experience globally but here is some measurable data.

http://www.itif.org/files/2008BBRankings.pdf

Graham Hardie

Friday, April 03, 2009 1:37:47 AM UTC

I can agree with Paul to a degree. The thing I feel cheated by the most is not so much the '3rd world services' but what I consider high prices. I'm happy enough with my ADSL but my mobile would cost me a fortune if I done half the things I actually want to be able to do on one. Calling, internet, even texting are all ridiculously high. 20c from one network to another?! WTF!

Tim

Friday, April 03, 2009 2:58:01 AM UTC

Of course it's best to research your own facts rather than make sweeping statements when accusing somebody of appearing to be a tool, for fear of looking like one yourself. "Cry poverty and try and sponge some more free travel" - I'd suggest you haven't paid attention to what the project is about, and instead saw half a headline and the opportunity to be clever. You also didn't bother to read the actual blog, where you can read my comments in context.

It's also curious that you dismiss everyone else's subjective experience on the basis of your own, as if your opinion equates to fact. You don't provide facts to back your claims up, just further experience, but in a manner that obviously meant to establish how you're far cleverer than everyone else.

My opinion was based on personal experience and conversations with everyone I met, and I mean everyone - nobody I spoke to was impressed by the current state of broadband or mobile service providers. How many mobile service providers are there in New Zealand? How much does it currently cost for high-speed broadband in Wellington? Why do hotels still charge customers per MB for internet access as if it's 1999? Why can't a mobile on a major UK service provider like 3 establish a data connection in NZ?

Plenty of your fellow countrymen would seem to agree, judging by the comments here (on the same article you quote from, one that takes my blog post completely out of context - not that you bothered checking):

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2307100/Twitchhike-stumbles-at-last-hurdle?comment_msg=posted#post_comment

A quick Google search will find plenty of individuals, news sources and your own government who think there's plenty of room for improvement, too. So while you arrogantly believe yourself to have the final, indisputable say on the matter, plenty of people would disagree. I would too, having spent a glorious week in your country - but again, that's just an opinion.

Paul Smith

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