No, I can go to the local pc store and buy a switch. YES. but the prices are astronomical. My old switch (8 port 10/100) cost $30 at a market, it was the cheapest price I could get ANYWHERE 6 months ago, and in store I'm looking at a hundred. I don't have $30 to spare. Hell, I don't have $10 to spare. Availability is not the problem. the cash is the problem.
Oh and PS.... I COULD live in antarctica - its an Australian Territory. I know of a guy who does - he lives on the CSIRO research station... (along with the other three residents of the continent)

and 1209 miles? dont know the figures, but their are people in OZ where something like that is the case