At 11:40 p.m. 31/07/2004, you wrote:
> Yeah, the thing is the charge applys regardless of who your changing to /
>from, and it's a standard charge amoung isp's.
>
>Time to wake up and realize that because its charged by all isp's, that it
>makes it fair.

That depends... If the fee applies to those on any/all JetStream (except Starter perhaps) plans before bitstream who are automatically consider Telecom customers (as Bruce's message suggests) then I would strongly disagree . In fact even if subscribers are considered to be customers of their existing ISP then I would still disagree for reasons I have made clear before.*

If
1) Telecom give say an allowance of say two months after ISPs have had a reasonable time period to introduce and advertise/promote their bitstream packages (October maybe) when changing will be free for all customers
AND
2) For ever after, changing from plans which an ISP cannot offer through bitstream (i.e. JetStream full= at the moment) is free

Then I would say it's fair even tho I still don't necessarily feel the best idea...

* Even though ISPs can offer Surf etc, as they were really Telecom retail products, there has been little room for customisation (and therefore few reasons to care which ISP you are with or to go with an ISP which might have a lower quality of service). Also, Xtra because they are still in many ways a part of Telecom, have naturally had a greater reason to want to promote the service (and have done so). Therefore, it's likely that many people have chosen Xtra as their ISP for Jetstream products (especially Surf) but would want a different ISP's bitstream product. Even though they have a chance now to try to convince people to change to them before the churn fee is introduced (as Orcon may be doing), this is much more difficult without a product to offer at the moment. Advertising a future product may just result in confusion. Trying to explain why people should change now and not later will not be easy (which might be why Orcon are offering a cheaper price rather then trying to ex
plain that you should change since later you might have to pay us because we have to pay Telecom/Xtra). All in all, in my opinion Xtra especially (although probably Paradise as well) have an inherent unfair advantage over other ISPs the way things stand at the moment.

= Actually also Jetstream 256k which I think still exists although I wonder if there is anyone at all still using it since Surf is nearly as good but so much cheaper...

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