Dial-up versus broadband

[idb]

I've just signed up myself.
It takes a while to hook up, I'm supposed to have it next Wednesday.
I've decided to go wireless throughout the house because I have two computers and bring a laptop home from work.
No messy wires.

I've also resisted as long as possible because the broadband at work (Xtra) is sometimes no faster than my dial-up at home but a new computer was the final catalyst.
I'm not going with Telecom and I'm only about 150m from an exchange so it should be all good.

[Blackbird]

I've just done the Consumer speed test. Xtra broadband download speed was 3288kbps and upload 85kpbs. This doesn't seem very flash by other results I've seen. However, we're in remote Coromandel and it's a bloody sight better than what we had in Tokoroa. I seem to remember that they're in the process of laying new optical lines in the district as part of a regional development initiative so things might get better soon.

[merv]

I've had the odd day at home lately during the week and wowee the BB is fast then, but crikey in our 'burb see the speed test figures plummet when all the 'puter junkies get home from school and load up the lines. Sadly no cable out our way just copper lines all controlled by Telecom anyway even though I'm on Slingshot. How does that work anyway does the traffic clog the phone exchanges or something - like is there a limit to the pipe somewhere?

[imdying]

Merv, you've discovered the beauty of contention ratios... the true bane of NZ Internet, broadband or not... we the consumer insisted that the problem be exacerbated by 'unleashing' NZs broadband. Good on us.

[Forest]

International bandwidth is expensive, even over in Australia.

I pay $198 NZD a month for a plan that provides me with 50GB of unshaped traffic delivered through a 20Mb/820kb ADSL2+ line.

For non Akamai assisted international traffic, the circuit is good for about 10Mb of real-world performance.

[Okey Dokey]

Being on dialup myself, I really like this thread. Everyone seems to agree that any bb, even slowish, is well worth the extra $$$ compared to dialup.

Like the OP said she used to, I skip a lot of content if it is too big to wait for on dialup. I'm not ready to pay for bb yet, but I was intrigued by the vodem.

All good, thanks for the thoughts and info.