I think it unjust the law past in parliament allowing Telstra to Charge businesses for non voice use of the phone system. This means the next hit will be at anyone using a phone line for internet or fax services.Telstra 's profits are well documented.What next download charges.
Don Apps : appsy@netspace.net.au, URL :

Access to OnAustralia. We can get good access to OzEmail on a STD call to Newcastle, NSW. with a Maestro 288fm v34. but not to the On Australia default number with the Explorer3. Have to go back to the old Maestro 144fm which will connect to anything! On Australia is the only thing we cannot connect to with a Maestro 288fm V34. Does anyone else have problems with this PS we are on an analog exchange.
R Arnott : Birnam_Wood@msn.com, URL :

I might be in the wrong spot!. want to say to ABC, keep up the good coverage of Rugby Union to Rural Australia. We only get Sat. TV. Rick.
R Arnott : Birnam_Wood@msn.com, URL :

If one lives in the country you can expect to have less service than the bigger city population areas. However std charges on top of isp charges is too much for access to the internet as there are a lot of people who use it just as a hobby,local councils should provide access via their library system or schools for local people with goverment assistance to assist.Even 5 dollars per hours all up is too expensive for internet access.
Vic Macdonald : vmacdona@m130.aone.net.au, URL :

Shit....this guy is running a 486 as his main server is'nt he? How fast is it. I could not get on to his homepage..... what a surprise.....for 150/year x 100 users with a small bandwidth and a 486 for a server.....good luck :). 10 points for trying though, but i bet his users are getting frustrated already!!!!!
Tim Kelly : tim.kelly@hunterlink.net.au, URL : Tim Kelly's Homepage

I like the Idea of using local Libraries in rural areas as hubs. the DSS even made an agreement with the Tas Dept of Education snd the Arts to trial its CIN network through that avenue but here in Swansea Tasmanis the cows reneged and installed it in another area, for the convenience of a handfull of members of the local chapter of the Regional Developement Organisation. Would have been great for the underfunded school which is in the same building as the library, and parqt of the same Govt. Dept. but the lunkheads in the big smoke mucked it up. Seems they also felt that urban centers are more needy as more units went to urban schools and libraries, (or is it just that they all live in urbia?) NEEDLESS TO SAY there are to my knowledge only two users here and I am the other one, the CIN access is hardly known of or understood and is not convenient for the school. Oh well who expects sense out of government anyway.
Geoff Morgan : gdmorgan@ozemail.com.au, URL :

I was so impressed with this story that I immediately fired up netscape, pulled up my ABC bookmark and clicked on HTTP://. I'm really impressed to see this fantastic service provider who is linking the Snowies to the world! Congrats to Adrian and his initiative!!
:) :) :) :)
Carolyn Simpson : carolyn@alzarius.its.rmit.edu.au, URL : Ryn's Home Page

On the subject of Librarys and net access. I use the Corio library in Geelong Vic.
Whenever I have talked to the staff they seem a million miles from the Web and can't even see why I might like to select my books by browsing their listings from home.
My local ISP in Geelong is much better informed and a heck of a lot more interested than my local librarian and at a rate of $50 per month for 5 hours a day (Cutting Edge (free plug)) I couldn't be happier.
A quick note on Telstra's entering the market.
Resist at all costs!! I used to work in a Finance group when they were called Telecom. Their pricing policy is basically to charge what the market can stand, not based on what it costs to provide.
If they take over. You are looking at Compuserve style pricing.
Hey. Sure they are nice people. But who has an unlimited income stream.
Peter McCarthy : petermcc@swanreach.com.au, URL :

At Lithgow on the western slopes of the Blue Mountains, we are lucky enough to have a very good local service provider at LISP http://lisp.com.au/

LISP is very economical to belong to with only a $40 lifetime joining fee, and a number of great packages (eg. one of the packages offers $60 for 60 hours), I don't think that there is a lot cheaper than this around.

The best part about being a member of LISP is that all LISPIES (LISP members) work very closely together, encouraging each others achievements and keeping in contact with each other via email.

LISP also covers other centres in the Central West and offer access to the Blue Mountains.

This provider is well worth contacting for more info contact Mark Blofield email mark@lisp.com.au
Debra Morris : dmorris@lisp.com.au, URL : Lithgow Tourism Information

It has been my experience with local government (Shire's) that if you wish to maintain an accurate, reliable, quick and price competetive service. Then DON"T go near them. The last thing we need for a service like this is more red tape! Give me competition and private enterprise any time. Richard Woolley
Richard Woolley : mooguru@ssn.net.au, URL :

It has been my experience with local government (Shire's) that if you wish to maintain an accurate, reliable, quick and price competetive. Then DON"T go near them. The last thing we need for a service like this is more red tape! Give me competitrion an private enterprise any time. Richard Woolley
Richard Woolley : mooguru@ssn.net.au, URL :

INTERACTIVE? WHAT IS INTERACTIVE? I have heard that it was supposed to be an electronic environment where the users were an integral part in the descision making process. I have yet to find such interaction in programmes, internet, television or, in fact, any media. Interactive entertainment is not a few graphics thrown together with music on a CD, nor is it a half-hour long computer video that asks you to press the space bar in between scenes. With the new generation of Pentiums, 586s and 686s one would think that software companies and Web administrators would find a piece of code that would actually take advantage of the extra speed, and hire someone creative to design something truly interactive. Not that I know what interactive entertainment is, mind you. I have yet to experience it - and I doubt that anyone else has either.
Mat Deering : lankymat@ois.com.au, URL :

Yeah, I must say, I am looking forward to the day where we can all access the Internet from the convenience of our humble laptops equipped with the most sophisticated "wireless" transcievers to the many satellites orbiting above our heads. This is the plan Motorola has in store for all of us in the next few years after the launch of their satellite fleet in 1997.

Like most people at uni, I have taken to the net like fish to water, and I am looking forward in utilising this exciting medium to communicate between work collegues and friends on the net.

The universe of information is all around us on the new digital frontier, I'll see you all on the next wave in Cyberspace.

Fade out...

DAL (Intel Outside)
Dallas Hilla : e1115929@student.uq.edu.au, URL : BIG DAL's Synaptic BioWare Universe

I have to admit first of all I live in Newcastle and that there is a service provider (Hunter Link) although it is expencive and in "Prime Time" I'm lucky to get in. Theres only about 500 lines apparently. If you haven't guesed in my vocabulary I'm only 13. I'v just spent the last half hour on the net trying to get Exchage 4 for '95 to connect and recieve mail on my dad's laptop. I think cyberspace is a very confusing place at first but as you get it running it can become verry efficent.
Alan Murray : cadgraphics@hunterlink.net.au, URL :

You have a great show here... Anyway while browsing Triple J Music/Wired-Live it describes the geostationary satellite bouncing in those radio signals... Those Optus satellites are in fact 36,000 klms above the equator (not a mere 200)....so that means Mikey and Raze do a round trip of at least 72,000 klms... every morning straight after they get out of bed!!! - someone ought to tell em!!! Another snipet...Optus will be launching its own web site in the very near future...so you can drop in directly to Optus Online...and get all the guff on Optus interactive services and network plans for Australia...for example remote access via satellite ...one I know you have a keen interest in. I'd be interested in any comment... ...but enough for now... see ya on the next wave.
Glenn McGrath : glenn_mcgrath@yes.optus.com.au, URL :

I live in Ballarat, Victoria Australia I am currently connected to the Intenet via a 14.4 modem This is connected to Ballarat university. I am a 3rd Year computer Science student at Ballarat Uni. As an Under graduate I would not qualify for Dial in access to the Uni. But I am luckey enough to woek on the Computer Services HelpDesk so I qualify as a staff member. Apart from that I could access the Internet from the Local Library for 1/2 an hour at a time (bookings required) or I could pay $5.00 per hour as a casual subscriber to a a local Internet access service provider. I could not afford to be sending you this long winded email if I were paying $5.00 per hour for the privilage. Regards Rupert. http://www.ballarat.edu.au/student/cc6rmr/index.htm
Rupert Russell : rupert@ballarat.edu.au, URL : Rupert's Antikythera Home Page

I am at present going to university in Brisbane and have university account, a unix shell account with one provider and a SLIP account with IBM's Internet. All this access is can be done via a local call but when I go home I will lose my uni access and the others will be only available at STD call rates. There are providers existing in my regional area, calls would be at a low STD rate but it will reguire me establishing another e-mail address, arranging forwarding of my existing mail account and having to face slower online access due to the smaller links regional providers establish, usually ISDN great if there is only one on lousey if there is a dozen. This low level of access is one of the best reason for Telstra providing all internet links. They have in place the lines, and installation of P.O.P. in regional exchanges would allow rural Australians an easy means of accessing government services as well as the wider Internet.
Mark Farnham : mfarnha@ibm.net, URL :

If the recent article in the Australian newspaper re. a policy document leaked from Telstra is anything to go by, the possibility of cheap access to the Net is not very promising. The article (I don't still have it, so I'm relying on my interpretation) said that Telestra was considering taking over all smaller ISPs and paying them 10% of income for 2 years as some compensation. The latter part of the article also mentioned that Telstra was using an estimate of $50 per month as an average cost for Net access through these smaller ISPs and that they expected this to INCREASE to $150 to $200. A Telstra spokesman has apparently confirmed that the document is one of the options being considered by them.
Tony Arnold : arnoldto@rocknet.net.au, URL :

I, like our Blue Mountains friends live outside the STD 02 area. fortunately OZemail has a node here on the Central Coast Without a local node I could not afford Net Access. This is even worse in a school situation where studnets do not have the opportunity to experience the Web due to lack of funds. Equity is definitely an issue that needs addressing. How access is funded for remote communities is the question. Solutions like setting up your own service begs the question a bit. The comments and suggestions I have read so far are very interesting. I hope people keep talking about this on the net and off. It would be great to see some system with the local libraries.
Ellen sheerin : esheerin@ozemail.com.au, URL :

Promises, Promises - Loacal call access for 80% of Australians means only supplying the netters in the city with connections they can already have. Schools out here in the country would love to have access like their counterparts in the big smoke. When is the equality of services going to arrive out here! We are getting SBS but where is he Local call access we were all promised. Promises, Promises - connection for all - what a joke.
David Syratt : syratt@msn.com, URL :

Well guys, if it wasn't for dial up access, I wouldn't have a business (which, by the way, is growig steadily). You can access ons of stuff, and if you know what you're doing (many think they do but they really haven't touched the surface yet)you can get great response time and fantastic feedback. Also, jsut try it and search for something you never really thought of before (try altavista!!) it gives you the wonderful feeling of being together with your kindred spirits. John
John Woolford : woolfie@wellconnected.com.au, URL :

This topic may already be available and I have overlooked it. I would like to see news stories as they unfold on an ABC sight, prior to them reaching the normal news broadcast time slot. I would also like to be able to contribute to articles that may be news-worthy. Thanks
Chris Pattinson : c_pattinson@hba.trumpet.com.au, URL :

Hi At the start of 1995 I first decided to connect to the Internet. I had bought an Internet book that provided software and a phone number to access the WWW. I really enjoyed the new experiences of IRC and Web Pages etc. I soon found that my phone bill was getting bigger and bigger as the phone number was an STD number. When Windows 95 first came out it provided Internet Access via a "13" (non-std) number so I bought this straight away and connected to the Microsoft Network. I think that more providers should supply a "13" number to provide cheaper access to the Internet. This could be offset by an increase in the access costs with limited access to people living in rural comunities. PS I am now very lucky that I have now moved back to the city as the "13" number provided by MSN is now about to be discontinued.
Andrew Bell : bella@am.minenco.cra.com.au, URL : Minenco Mining & Environment Home Page

"Cheap local call access to the net is something that is never going to be a reality unless you live in a major population centre"

That was the simple truth I and many other people in my area were faced with not 6 months ago. What annoyed me most was that absolutly every call you made with a modem was STD - and what's more at $9 per hour. Internet access was completely out of the question, as it was bad enough waiting for data to come through your modem, without paying for the delays often encoutered on the 'net.
I started a BBS a year ago, with the aim of providing some form of access to the online world, but the overwelming message I was getting was "we want to get on the 'net". I decided that I at least had to investigate the costs of providing internet access - other providers just weren't interested in covering this area, mainly driven off by the cost of establishing a site, and the number of people ready to leap onto the 'net. I have two major advantages - I live here, so I don't need to pay rent on an office, and I know enough to do all the work myself.
What I have found is that not only can an ISP be established for less than one quarter the cost most people believe, it can be done without much of the expensive hardware which is considered essential! For instance, the cost of your permanent connection to the 'net can be halved by using an analogue line and 28k modems, rather than ISDN - thus reducing the minimum number of users to around 50, as opposed to the 100 needed to support an ISDN link. Hardware can be obtained cheaply (you don't NEED a pentium with 10 gigs of hard disk, a 486 with 1 gig is quite capable) the one piece of hardware you can't go cheap on is the serial ports - the expensive 8 and 16 port cards are the way to go - and take a huge load off the CPU.

One thing that is very apparent from all this - Councils and Libraries are unlikely to posses the know how to provide the 'net in the most cost effective way. They may be the best choice as far as being public bodies, but that certainly does not make them the obvious choice.
The best people to provide the 'net to rural Australia are the computer buffs who are scattered amongst us, living out here, right where they are needed. The problem is that most of these people lack the financial backing required to get started. This is where governments CAN be a part of bringing the 'net to everyone.
Michael Nix : mnix@mikesbbs.omen.com.au, URL : Mike's Place

I agree with Ian Allen, but I'd like to add another thought for the local council option. The local library. It's right up their alley, so to speak. The libraries were started to provide this new technology called "books" to people who could not afford to have them personally. Todays libraries clearly see themselves as the internet service provider for the poor in their area. The libraries in the remote areas would form the ISP's and networking hubs for the remote area populations.

Also, the cost of networking hardware is now so low that remote groups may set up their own zero-profit networking hubs. So if the local government doesn't take it on, the general populace will.
James Cameron : cameron@stl.dec.com, URL :

Hmmm..yes I think say at least half the thought that went into building and paying for the roads should go into providing net access to rural areas. Imagine the amount saved in delivering of government services, petrol saved in not having to drive to go to the bank, to see the lawyer etc and the benefits to our environment. A combination of free net access, good product information on the net and strategically located warehouses for rural Australia would do us a lot of good.
Bala Pillai : bala@apic.net, URL :

I live in a small town 20 minutes drive from the Monaro town of Cooma (pop. 8000) in the beautiful Snwoy Mountains. My town's popultation is 800! I'm a nethead and I get access through Smart Radio Modems - Blamac in Cooma. This is the only service provider in this area. If we don't like Blamac's service we have to go through Canberra which costs us an STD call just to log on, and of course, STD rates while we are connected. Down here (the bottom of NSW) we get access for the cost of a local phone call. Now, I don't know if I should tell you this because the Big Boys of net access probably aren't going to like it. Our access if good except for the usual hiccups at times. If you want to follow this up further perhaps you should contact Adrian Blake on (phone) 064 525555. He's an innovative guy who reckoned this area could do with net access. And does it love it!
Robin Daley : robd@berridale.snowy.net.au, URL :

Penrith and the Blue Mountains hardly qualify as country Australia except where phone charges are concerned. Calls for the extension of the 02 zone have fallen on deaf ears and even our former Federal member had no success in expanding the area. I use a Sydney based BBS for email and occasional weekend browsing which is fairly cost effective but I am sure jealous of my Sydney friends who can spend hours wandering slowly through their BBS and the Net. Universities, local libraries and other government instrumentalities must step in to address this inequitablw situation.
Rob Vines : rob.vines@clubmac.asstdc.com.au, URL :

i think what ipswich did should be the model for all remote areas where it can be funded, much like the radio and satellite links in the outback, considering how important the net is becoming. ISP's are making a pretty penny out of us compared to our urban friends,sometimes as much as double the monthly online fees. Councils should make the net a priority!
boing : boing@hitech.net.au, URL :

I grew up in a country town, so I'm acutely aware of the problems of being out of a city. But it seems to me that it should be possible for local councils to set-up as their own local ISP. Maybe they could even work with one of the big ISP's to make this happen. The idea being that if a rural community leased it's own ISDN line, plus put in a computer & a bunch of modems, it should be possible to make affordable net-access available to the entire township, instead of every member of the community paying prohibitive STD costs..
Ian Allen : httpmail@your.abc.net.au, URL :