colinuu:

grudge:

This is because the CIR for BUBA is 45kbps as someone mentioned previously, basically the service they are providing is within the agreed SLA's.

The ISP won't be able to give you a discount, because, again, the service is within the specifications agreed. 
 

So, if my ISP has a SLA with Chorus which involves the 45kbps CIR, then why am I charged the same as my mate in town who gets adsl2 and all the performance he could want?

My power company doesn't say "you're too far out of town, we'll reduce your voltage to 110V most of the time, but watch out it could hit 230 occasionally. We know you will be happy with lights that glow a dull red...." TCL market the internet to me just the same as to my mate, even handing out 40GB data packs (what sort of a sick joke is that?) yet clearly they are selling a different product.

Living rurally, one becomes accustomed to paying more than townies for many things, but generally we receive an appropriate and acceptable service. Telephone costs more, because almost all calls are toll calls, but availability is fine and the quality is good. Electricity costs more because the line co charges the retailer more, but the network is well maintained. We pay for items in our local body rates which are unavailable to us or which we are unable to benefit from, but it's part of the deal. The list goes on and on...

What rankles is the appalling way that Chorus treats us when it comes to internet service. I for one would be happy to pay extra up front for equipment that would secure us a good and reliable connection, but I would expect to pay the same for the data as anyone else. But under the prevailing arrangement, I don't even get that choice.

Thanks for listening...

Colin