From: Mr and Mrs Ready [bready@all.com.au]
Sent: Saturday, 7 September 2002 10:12 AM
To: ecita.sen@aph.gov.au
Cc: Steven.Turbit@aph.gov.au
Subject: Fw: Installation of Cable for Internet and Entertainment.
Dear Committee Secretary,
 
I forward a copy of an email I sent to Mr Roger Price trusting that you may work with Mr Price to ensure steps will be taken to ensure whole communities such as mine are served equally by Telstra. It would be appreciated if you would also kindly provide an answer as to why Telstra would only install cable into certain areas in a community and not others but then charge the "others" more for an alternative service. 
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
Brian Ready
17 Sharon Place
Rooty Hill 2766 
Ph. 0414196665
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Mr and Mrs Ready
To: Rogerpricemp@aph.gov.au
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 9:53 PM
Subject: Installation of Cable for Internet and Entertainment.

Dear Mr Price,
 
I have been meaning to email you for some time on this matter but what has prompted me is a letter in the Blacktown Sun this week from Frank Mossfield on the disregard Telstra has for the western suburbs.
 
Telstra, or Optus for that matter, have not laid cable in our area. I have rung Telstra only to be able to speak to a clerk who told me they will eventually. I don't believe this as she could not give any time frame. This is a reasonably new area having only been developed in the last 12 years or so. Nearby Hamrun Circuit and Rupertswood Road for example have cable but they will not complete the rollout of cable in this area. 
 
To add further to this neglect, we can get satellite pay TV BUT at a premium of an extra $10 a month on Foxtel's basic package. This is an insult. Because Telstra won't spend a bit more of their $4 billion profit to supply the cable, they expect us to pay more!
 
To have the same internet speed as the rest of the civilised world also costs a premium. We cannot get normal broadband cable so it requires us to install a satellite to use in conjunction with a dial up connection. This service (according to Telstra's web site) costs $218.90 for installation, $70.95 a month plus dial up costs. The 2 way satellite service costs $399 installation, $699 hardware and at least $120 a month for the subscription. On the other hand, people just around the corner only have to pay for a cable broadband service which costs $259 for installation and then $54.95 a month with no dial up costs. This is an outrageous difference.
 
What is insulting is that Telstra advertises the satellite service as being for "rural and remote areas." Rooty Hill is no longer rural and certainly is not remote!
 
It would be greatly appreciated if you could pursue this matter as I really do not know who I would speak to in Telstra to get a firm timeframe, if there is one, as to when my area will have cable installed. Perhaps in addition you could liaise with Mr Mossfield for a combined push to get Telstra to bring the west in line with the rest of Sydney. However, I will leave that in your capable hands!
 
Thank you
 
Brian Ready
17 Sharon Place
Rooty Hill 2766