[AusNOG] Ethnic Centric ISPs in Australia?

[Heinz N]

> One might assert limiting your demography isn't smart, but that, IMHO would
> be very wrong.  Personally, I think just competing in the open market is the
> dumbest anyone building a small ISP these days could do.

Is it even possible to start a smallish ISP these days? Reading John 
Linton's blog (while he was alive) seemed to indicate that if you are 
using someone else's infrastructure DSLAMs, backhaul etc, you are 
completely at their $mercy$. All the bigger guys have their own DSLAMs 
(for which they'd still have to pay rental at the exchanges). Maybe the 
NBN might level that playing field if it continues.

I am curious if anyone has done the math to figure out how much cash you'd 
need to set up a smallish "niche" ISP (major cities only) which would have 
to be limited to renting ports etc from the big guys. I also wonder if 
there are any niches left for something that is completely a commodity 
item now.

Maybe one of the big guys would let you rebadge their service, but what is 
to stop them from poaching your clients or hiking the cost later on? What 
investors would like to take that chance?

Regards
Heinz N.