Opinion: Poor reception

I have no idea why they didn’t do it earlier, but now they’ve done it perhaps we will finally see an explosion in the use of NextG broadband modems by tech support dudes and dudettes.

And even sales types too.

Paying a fixed amount every month for a service you might not even use was just too much to ask for most bosses, and fair enough.

Only those truly on the road all the time could justify the fees.

But pre-paid makes it just right for parking in the backpack just in case the network is down when you arrive at your destination.

Speaking of wireless data rates, it’s pretty widely known that Optus rates are way better than Telstra’s with the only problem being the lack of a signal outside the major places of habitation.

NextG just works in more places, but if you never go there, the Optus offering was way to tempting to ignore – until the last week or so.

It seems Optus has become a victim of its own success. Too many people were drawn like moths to a flame and now there are widespread reports of no 3G signals even in main CBD locations.

And that also affects all the other carriers who ride on the Optus towers.

So, once again, competition virtually vanishes from the landscape as Optus users ditch the good value in favour of the expensive but available offer from the Telstra camp.

This provides yet another strong argument for the whole damn broadband network, both fixed and wireless, to be owned and maintained by some quasi-government entity with all the carriers competing to supply services.

But don’t expect it to happen unless you’re also expecting the tooth fairy this week.

The worst case scenario will see Optus rush to boost its capacity to satisfy its customers, but by then they’ll all have moved, leaving the carrier with a surplus of idle towers, red-ink all over the balance.

We can but hope they get their signal pumping again before the churn becomes a torrent.