If we take away electricity from our community everyone has a scream but life can go on.  If we take away water life will stop.

Fast Internet access has become to the community what water is to wine.  It's a basic service that everyone needs in the 21st century.

This has been hammered home to me this week because Joanna and I have a new customer in an area that has no broadband access.  Infact in parts of the suburb they don't even get mobile phone coverage that I take for granted.

Now you might be thinking that this isn't unusal, there are pleanty of remote towns that don't get very good service.

These guys are living in one of the more wealthy suburbs in Christchurch, New Zealands third biggest city.

It's my view that every home in New Zealand should have high speed Internet access and a telephone service for no more than the $35 that they're paying at present.  The technology exists to delivery this to every home at those prices.

At present there's a great deal of talk in New Zealand about the importance of business having access to high speed data services. 

Little thought seems to be being given to just how much of a waste of time this is if the customers don't also have that same high speed access.

Many small business operators do their computer work (sending emails, checking on orders, etc) from their computers at home after dinner.

Our latest customer (refered to above) is in the process of setting up a new retail adventure tourisum business from home while they continue to work existing 9 to 5 jobs.  How easy do you think that is on the end of dial up, a service that Telecom consider to be 'black and white TV'?

Cheers Don