I guess it's dependant on whether dial up customer is willing to revert back to 33k6 from (potentially up to) 56k? ;) Pete On 1/08/2014, at 7:25 PM, Jed Laundry wrote:

For the interested; in 2013 only 5% of NZ internet connections were dialup based [1].

At what point is a NTU stack consisting of an opposing dialup USB modem, a raspberry pi, and a cheap UMTS phone/dongle a viable option?

Last time I walked past one of those old IPNet US Robotics dial up access servers in an exchange the fans sounded so worn out that it sounded ready to melt down. Obviously this kit is way past end of life and I doubt there would be much of a business case to put in new AS5300's or similar that would stack up. The technology has done its dash, and the customers need to move on now. I still have customers who have dial up configured despite having ADSL as they have not got an Ethernet card in their old PC. These people have to be forced to change, or they never will. From: nznog-bounces(a)list.waikato.ac.nz [mailto:nznog-bounces(a)list.waikato.ac.nz] On Behalf Of Damian Kissick Sent: Monday, 4 August 2014 9:55 a.m. To: nznog(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Subject: Re: [nznog] Telecom Dial-up IPNet service As Actrix has been around for some time while, we still cater for a decent dial-up base. Originally using our own POPs but switched to using another provider's modem bank around a decade ago. I know of roughly two camps of dial-up users: 1. Those who do not realise (or need) the value of anything greater than dial-up 2. Customers that, ignoring satellite offerings, would be stranded with no internet - the most obvious case being rural. These numbers are only decreasing but someone's still got to cater for these guys in the meantime. - Damian

As someone who lives in the Far North, and who is lucky enough to have an ADSL2 connection, I am also the Secretary for our local A&P Association. In this regard, I feel almost spoiled as a few of our members don't have electricity, much less a dial up connection. For these people, the "thrill" of the internet is visiting a neighbour once a week to check on email from son/daughter in Europe on the big OE. These are the "last mile" people in all regards e.g. power, phone and roading. And yet, they pay their rates, their taxes, and the Fonterra truck(mostly) is able to take their milk away to add to the export pool. The roll out of fibre means nothing to these people, and since they are "last mile" people, it probably never will. At least they don't miss what they never had. Something to ponder over your next latte while checking email on the iPod/Pad via the cafe wifi. Alan Maher On 4/08/2014 12:02 p.m., Jonathan Brewer wrote:

On Mon, Aug 4, 2014 at 10:04 AM, Tony Wicks mailto:tony(a)wicks.co.nz> wrote:

The technology has done its dash, and the customers need to move on now. I still have customers who have dial up configured despite having ADSL as they have not got an Ethernet card in their old PC. These people have to be forced to change, or they never will.

Go tell that to the 10k+ households who get their telephone service via CMAR and don't have the $2k installation fee for satellite. Really, I'd like to hear that conversation.

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