If I ruled New Zealand (please think of me as a write-in candidate next election), local phone exchanges would have been opened to all Telecom's competitors late last year, and we'd now all be humming along on ADSL2+. Back in reality, we continue to move toward true broadband competition in S-L-O-W M-O-T-I-ON. Orcon and ihug have been able to install a token amount of gear at a single phone exchange (four others will follow Ponsonby), which will give them the ability to conduct limited technical trials ahead of the draft proposal on Telecom's operational separation being finalised, in some form, towards the end of this year.

Yes, it's stirring to see competitors' hardware (nice logos, guys) intrude on the Empire's turf. But what's the hold up to just going in, boots and all? Consider:
- All the necessary legislation was passed back in Dec 06
- Orcon, backed by its new, wealthy parent Kordia, has pledged to spend hundreds of millions on ADSL2+ equipment, as soon as it's able
- Ditto for ihug, now backed by its new, wealthy parent Vodafone etc etc
- Telecom already loathes David Cunliffe as much as it's possible to loathe a carbon-based life form. What's he got to lose by pushing it a as hard and as fast as he can?
- Certainly not the votes of the internet using public, who loathe their current "broadband".

Put your foot down, Dave.