This is the storyA staff member of The Unlimited was so frustrated with the speed of their Telkom ADSL connection that he came upon the idea that it would be faster to send the data (to their head office) using a pigeon.
Yesterday they put the theory to the test and sent a four gigabyte package using both options: pigeon and flash-drive vs ADSL. The ADSL download had only completed 4% of the download by the time the pigeon reached their head office (in KZN).
Obviously
This isn't a true reflection of the ADSL connection as there is a limit to how far the pigeon can fly and the further the distance, the better the ADSL download would have performed ... however it is hilarious.
Thank goodness for competition in this market as we have alternatives for backhaul and the "last-mile" (hub to curb). Pity there is only one provider of fixed line though as wireless, WiFi, WiMax etc are always going to be subjected to some degree interference.
On a positive note - consider how far we have come in four years - dial-up and ISDN were the norm when I left for the UK in 2005.
1 comment:
I like the last paragraph of Telkom's official response:
"Finally, it has not escaped Telkom’s attention that this entire episode has generated much excitement and interest, but the Company emphatically denies that we are currently considering placing this means of data transfer in our product catalogue and wholesaling it. However, Telkom is glad that, finally, we are able to welcome “real” competition in the telecommunications industry and, as a Company, we are confident that the above-mentioned points of clarification will certainly set the cat among the pigeons."
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