Comment Re:News For Nerds (Score 1) 152
Earth... is that some new state we annexed?
Sir, given the current state of international politics, you truly honour your nickname, don't you ?
Argentine Government Orders Major ISP To Close 152
Doctor Jonas writes "Argentine ISP Fibertel has been barred from continuing operations because of the dissolution of their status as a company after they were absorbed by Cablevisión of Argentina, now part of media conglomerate Grupo Clarín. The Minister of Planning, Julio de Vido, announced the measure, and said it was Grupo Clarín's own doing by having shut down the Fibertel company and turning it into a commercial brand, and that ISP licenses are not transferable after acquisitions from one company to the other. The Argentine opposition said the move was another attack on Grupo Clarín's standing and another part of the feud between them and President Cristina Fernández and her husband, former president Nestor Kirchner. Cablevisión has promised to go to the courts to overturn the decision, and the opposition seeks to protect Fibertel's continuing operations through a bill in Congress. More than a million households and businesses would need to change ISPs in merely 90 days, possibly strengthening the internet provisioning dominance of both Telefónica (subsidiary of the Spanish Telefonica) and Telecom."
Comment Re:Here in South America... (Score 4, Informative) 203
There is not a direct translation that I know of, but I'll try to clarify what he means: We are not analphabet sheep herders isolated in the mountains (no pejorative intention here), we are educated people, even with university degrees, but mostly underpaid, unemployed, having to pay ridiculously high taxes but receiving ridicuously bad services from an incredibly bloated and inefficient state.
A few days ago I've seen on the TV a field full of tents somewhere in USA, where people suffering from the current crisis had to go to live when they lost their house. That's close to what we mean.
Cheers,
Daniel
from Arg.
Comment Re:Bad business model, perhaps? (Score 2, Informative) 203
From a developing country here (southern south america) and I fully agree with you, the problem is in the business model.
See, I have now some money to spend, in local currency, that translates to around 3000 US dollars. I was trying to pay a 90 U$D service, and the only available payment method is with International Credit Card.
But, the basic cost of having such CC is ridiculously high compared to the amount of money I could spend in a year buying internet items and services.
So, what about easier payment methods available, perhaps even in the local currencies, tailored to the local markets you are trying to enter ??
Daniel
