After being cut from Telstra's CDMA network this week, farmers could now be facing the termination of their Internet connection with the closure of the Telco's popular ISDN scheduled for December 2008.
Tesltra flicked the switch on the CDMA network on Monday night despite concerns the new Next G network still did not provide equivalent or better service.
But it seems as though the shutdown of CDMA was not the only thing that would force country people to use the new network, with the closure of the ISDN connection expected to push Telstra customers into the company's new wireless Next G broadband.
Kondinin Group engineer, Josh Giumelli, said he was cynical, believing Telstra made the decision to cancel ISDN home and Bigpond plans in order to force people into the superior yet more expensive wireless connection.
"ISDN was a popular choice where ADSL was not available and satellite was deemed too expensive," Mr Giumelli said.
"But with Telstra canceling the connection, it is no longer an option for country users."
There was no doubt wireless broadband offered Telstra customers a faster connection, but it came at a cost.
"It does pay to go for a faster connection but I would hate to think some users who do not get Next G service in their area would be left with no option but satellite," Mr Giumelli said.
SOURCE: Farm Weekly, WA.
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