Adelaide: Can We Have Our $2000 Back?

A recent report out of South Australia says that Adam Internet will rollout WiMAX services to blackspots across the Adelaide metro area.

I’m all for getting people connected – you could argue that, especially in business, the Internet has become a vital service. However I do have a couple of queries with regard to the roll out – after all $12 million of tax payers money is being used.

First of all, why are residents being subsidised to the tune of $2000 each? I know that it was a tender that Adam Internet won and it is to help with set-up costs, but surely if people want a connection they should pay for it themselves, or incorporated into a plan to pay it off. Why can’t these consumers use a Telstra 3G card? And why can’t this be incorporated into the NBN – after all $12 million is a drop in the ocean when looking at the overall cost.

Before Adelaide residents in these blackspots get all upset about it, it’s nothing personal against them. This is just a case of taxpayers money being used in a way where it seems other commercial considerations might not have been taken into account.

That being said, I hope the Adelaide residents get good use out of their new connection.