So we can’t get broadband at this new place because all the ADSL ports in the exchange are taken up. Satellite is a rip off and we aren’t in the area for wireless or 3G either. It’s 2009 and we can’t get broadband. Telecom and every other ISP go on and on about ‘great new services’ and ‘world class technology’ but we haven’t seen it so far.

So a mate of a mate suggested that I lease some land beside a Telecom cabinet, lease a fibre line and some copper lines (our one has fibre between the exchange and the roadside cabinet), put in some demarcs and be my own ISP. Well no one in NZ can really provide FTTH (fibre to the household) so that is out of the picture.

Then I thought about renting some rackspace in the exchange and putting a DSLAM in there. Would be a bit cheaper surely. Last time I talked to a Chorus contractor (the Telecom field engineers) he said that the upgrade plan was next year! And they were putting in ADSL2.

Well that’s all fine and dandy but I want broadband now. A DSLAM is only about $NZD2000, not sure of the data costs though. So I rang all around the place this morning trying to find out how to lease exchange space and no one seems to know. So I went to telecomwholesale.co.nz tried ringing everyone in the list – all went to voicemail, typical Telecom customer service lol (well its a bit better than it was TBH). So I just sent them this email.

Hi There,

I was wanting to enquire about renting some space in an exchange in which to run a private DSLAM. The exchange in question is the Kaukapakapa exchange.

The reason being, currently all of the ADSL ports in that exchange are taken so no one can get broadband in the area I live. I was wanting to rent some rack space and install my own DSLAM to provide to residents in my area.

Upon talking to a Chorus engineer they informed me that Telecom’s upgrade plan for this exchange was to install ADSL2+ in the middle of next year. This is not acceptable, I need broadband as soon as possible and may as well do it myself.

Could you please let me know the cost of renting the rack space and associated data/connection costs of uplinking the DSLAM to the Telecom network.

Kind Regards,
xxx xxx

Yeah, we’ll see what happens.

Well, finally moved out. Been in the new place for about 4 weeks now, just got the internet going however we can get broadband yet. My insides are eviscerated. Apparently there are not enough broadband ports in our exchange, but at least there is fibre from our roadside cabinet to the exchange.

Also the plan we got is the cheapest I could find at $90/m for 10gigs on 8M/192K with a phone. We’re supposed to have naked dsl in this country now but we still have to get a phone line which is $45 of the $90/m. Absolute bullshit.

Anyway the house is pretty sweet, two bedrooms a laundry and a double garage on the bottom floor, lounge, dining, deck, kitchen (1 room) and bathroom upstairs. We’re on top of a hill so we got an OK view of farmland and bush and stuff, plus all day sun so the place heats itself. I’m part way through networking the place, got a little 12 port cisco switch in the garage which all the rooms will plug into.

We got the garage kitted out with almost every tool you could think of as well as some man benches. Nicks 1948 bonus is sitting in one side waiting to be put together, and my bike sits on the other side.

I still however have a lack of employment – I’m working on that.

Just got word that I am fucking out of here… got a house close to the forest, which should be good for paintballing and breaking in to ride my bike (although its mostly gorse…) and it should have broadband too!

Still out in the country, not far from where I am now.

Funny thing is even though its a bit futher out that this place, on a gravel road, the likelihood of it having broadband is higher.

Yea, fun fun fun. I’ll be able to stop living out of a suitcase… as they say.

So living at home is going OK. I try not to be there as much as possible so I don’t piss off my parents. Plus I’m kinda nocturnal so if I am there I am quietly playing games in my room, or watching movies.

Unfortunately, Telecom (the bastards) won’t hook up broadband to my house. The say its too far from the exchange to get any signal, however the neighbour has broadband! But the cabling guy told us one more connection on our roadside box will knock everyone off.

So it would seem the box needs upgrading. Every telephone box around our area has been upgraded except ours. So not fair. I can’t even be bothered to put a modem in my PC and run a phone line to my room cos I know 56k will drive me up the wall.

So I just use the net at work when I can. It works, but I really really really wanna play some COD4 online dammit.

So I been playing Race Driver: GRID and Colin Mcrae DiRT (which use the same engine). Amazing, amazing games. Honestly, if you haven’t played them yet, get them. The damage engine is awesome, your car never breaks the same way twice. I rolled my rally car 4 times, ripped all the doors off and landed back on my wheels and kept going. Was mean! And you can actually feel the speed, especially in GRID when you’re racing GT1 and GT2 cars. The drift in grid is also full of awesomeness.

Also, poor Lilley has had a myriad of problems in the UK, from her bank fucking her round to her laptop hard drive dying. Don’t buy Dell and don’t use HSBC for your bank. Hopefully everything has worked out for her now.

Just finishing work now… goodbye broadband