I still don't have decent Internet!!

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Read more! You would think, by now, with all my travels and travails,I might have nailed it!
This blog post can be read at 5tth.blogspot.com

Hope everybody is well. I have a few tales to tell since my last posts. Firstly, I'd like to wish a very fond and heartfelt farewell to a few of our friends and family, some well-known, and others less so, all equally important to those of us who loved them. If you have lost somebody, much love. So, 2018. That was a while ago. And I started campaigning for decent broadband before the millennium.. What have we achieved? Me, personally? Bugger all!! The only time I ever get a decent connection is when I visit B4RN. I am sure Chris will post a speedtest in the comments to remind anybody who still doesn't know (hey BBC, sky etc - that is YOU!!) what a symmetrical gigabit for 30 nicker a month looks like. Meanwhile, out in the wilds, which has included multiple travels and many thousands of miles, I now live in a field. In my 1966 truck. Don't cry for me. It is a form of bliss vs what many have had to deal with during the Covid crisis. And it will be this winter too. Tis all about what clothes you wear, not the weather!!! My dream would be a Starlink connection, because mobile connectivity where I am is as dire as ever. And very expensive. 1e per day/unlimited. (Which is the usual lie when you actually try to see just how unltd you can go!) It turns out absolutely nothing about the small print about unlimited data has changed since I and many others started campaigning in the 90s (Look up FRIACO etc). In fact the more Brussels et al get involved in regulating the hell out of everything, the worse everything gets. And this will continue, and is. (Or prove me wrong with sourced proof in the comments). Disruption has always been vital in telecoms, and whatever you think about Elon Musk, he is at least challenging the status quo of incumbents etc. And addressing the hugely important task of connecting rural areas with something halfway acceptable in the 21st century. It might not be perfect and will undoubtedly degrade as more connect, but... Isn't it about time that rural areas had a connection?! Obviously, I believe that B4RN and gigabit syn fibre to the home and farm and village and hub and everybody is the ultimate, but after 20+ years shouting from the rooftops and being (mainly) ignored for our efforts (so, we JFDI!), it is a relief that somebody who is simply a "bonkers billionaire", and not a transnational incumbent with dodgy fingers in every pie, is Jfdi too. Tbh, after over 2 decades trying to connect rural areas around the world, I will take anything affordable and accessible. And approaching symmetrical. I don't want to watch crap from some media mogul with an agenda. Nor does ANYBODY else. We are all creators now, and it is way past time that uploads are increased multi-fold, and telcos stop presenting that upload bits cost more than download. Upgrade Yr sodding kit, you tightwads!!! It will not be long now until some kid in a back bedroom 3d prints far better kit, shares it on TikTok or sth, and a bunch of very dissatisfied customers go and swap out your old-fashioned, monopolistic crap with some decent wave division multiplexers or better, that actually do as intended. That monopoly is looking a tad fragile these days. And whilst you believe you control the networks, one surely should look back at history. Electricity, water, telecoms etc were all started, in multiple countries across the globe independently, by individuals who then persuaded their communities to get involved. I reckon, if telcos etc continue as they are, we are going to see a regression, a reversal, and head back to community networks (mmm mmm!!) innovation on the ground (oh yeah!) and large corporates being told to go..... The truth is, and it is unavoidable, worldwide, that communications is NOT better delivered to homes and local businesses by some humongous business who has lost touch with everything except lobbyists and regulations, and the stock market. Or argue in the comments! Anyway, I now live in a field with eff all internet, no mains electic nor water, and from this post on will be sharing my last few years fun (2 rally dakars, Western Sahara etc etc) and my daily life. This is your chance to unsubscribe, or educate me about broadband (or anything else related to comms) where you are!! I am unlikely to get less opinionated. BUT I am a far better photographer these days and have a mere 30000 photos to share. (OK, there are a lot of penguin photos... I admit it). I plan to share photos, thoughts, opinions, my daily life etc, whether anybody is reading or not. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, however you are feeling... Vivir es urgente. Jfdi. Besos. Read more!