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Posted Wed 31 December 2008 @ 9:03 p.m. by Ernie

It made my new year's eve to see that Paul Swain, former Minister of Communications, has scored a QSM in the New Year Honours.Politics aside, most people agree that telecommunications was one element of the economy that the previous government handled with great distinction. A lot of the kudos has gone to the more flamboyant David Cunliffe who finished the job, but we should not forget that it was Swain who started it.Swain was a quiet achiever. He did his homework, made the hard calls,...

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Another Telecom outage!

Posted Wed 17 December 2008 @ 8:46 a.m. by Ernie

Doug Wilson, CIO of the Automobile Association and TUANZ Board member, writes in frustration as follows:"Telecom had another brief outage yesterday around lunchtime. We and I presume others lost phones for three minutes – I know that doesn’t sound long but we run an emergency service - and we have bought every service that Telecom sells to give us total resilience but they still have failures like this and the broadband one the other day."Now Doug is a pretty tolerant guy and doesn't complain...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Vendors

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Conroy's sword drops on Telstra

Posted Tue 16 December 2008 @ 2:41 a.m. by Ernie

In a day of drama reminiscent of New Zealand's "Telecommunications Mayday" of 3 May 2006, Aussie Minister Stephen Conroy has booted Telstra out of contention for the building of Australia's National Broadband Network. Telstra had failed to comply with the RFP conditions in respect of SME participation. The Australian reports that A$6 billion was dumped off Telstra's value in a savage market response.This dramatic move will rock the Aussie telecommunications sector like never before.I'm picking that...

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Utilities the way forward for fibre - report

Posted Tue 16 December 2008 @ 2:23 a.m. by Ernie

A report on broadband strategy options for New Zealand, commissioned by InternetNZ and written by Network Strategies, was released yesterday. It will be one of the most valuable contributions to the telecommunications policy debate this year, and a timely addition to the reading list for our new Minister, Hon Steven Joyce.Essentially the conclusion is that the best way forward for broadband in New Zealand is to harness the existing utilities with their pre-existing networks of underground and overhead...

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A historic day for telecommunications!

Posted Wed 10 December 2008 @ 1:23 p.m. by Ernie

This is a special blog. It is the first one I have ever posted over a Fibre to the Farm connection. Just maybe, it is the first blog ever posted across a FTTH connection in New Zealand? This farm’s connection is only a day or two old.Here today at Mangamaire, telecommunications history has been made with the official launch of fibre to Mangamaire School, together with a small but rapidly increasing number of homes and farms in the area.Mangamaire, for those who don’t know, is best described as an...

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Barack plans to boost broadband adoption

Posted Wed 10 December 2008 @ 11:29 a.m. by Louis

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is in good company believing that better broadband can be a stimulus for economic development. United States President-elect Barack Obama has included broadband roll-out as part of a massive economic recovery package he is proposing. Obama plans to push for the largest government-funded infrastructure programme the US has seen since the construction of the interstate highway system in the 1950s as a way to stimulate the struggling US economy. The programme...

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Five hundred Whispers closer to faster broadband

Posted Fri 5 December 2008 @ 11:25 a.m. by Louis

Telecom’s network business, Chorus, has already made 500 of its new Whisper roadside cabinets, which are central to the company’s plan to deliver faster broadband. The “milestone” 500th cabinet rolled off the production line in Christchurch earlier this week. The cabinets are part of Telecom’s fibre to the node project to upgrade its broadband infrastructure. The project will see Chorus install and upgrade about 3,600 Whisper cabinets, as well as connect a further 2,500kms of fibre optic cable...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs | Vendors

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Maori Technology Hui - Inspired Timing!

Posted Wed 3 December 2008 @ 12:17 p.m. by Ernie

I've spent the morning giving the opening presentation at a Maori Technology Hui here in Wellington, organised by the Te Huarahi Tika Trust. There was a great crowd - I'd guess around 80 people, standing room only, with an excellent programme. It occurred to me that despite having given oodles of presentations over the years this was the first time I had ever presented to a specifically Maori audience. Slightly daunting.The organisers had asked me to set the scene, so my presentation covered off...

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After 5s sign off for 2008

Posted Fri 28 November 2008 @ 9:32 a.m. by Louis

The final TUANZ After 5s for 2008 wrapped up in Auckland yesterday, which spells the end of a very busy week for the TUANZ team, and serves as a reminder that in just over a month we’ll be heralding in 2009. This month’s After 5s were hosted by Kordia and were well attended in each venue – Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland. As this was my first round of After 5s, I attended each event, apart from Auckland, which, to be honest, I’m grateful for as Auckland was an ‘After 5am’ and kicked...

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Steven Joyce and TUANZ have a history

Posted Tue 25 November 2008 @ 8:06 a.m. by Ernie

Do I feel stupid?A day or two ago I wrote to our new Minister, Hon Steven Joyce. I included the obligatory paragraph introducing TUANZ.Now I realise that a year ago he spoke at a TUANZ event. Sarah Putt, who wrote this blog post, reminded me.He was rated as the best speaker of the Conference. Some delegates even suggested he should have been the keynote.So when TUANZ gets to meet him, at least he will have prior knowledge of us, hopefully in a positive context.

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Teleworking presentations online now

Posted Mon 24 November 2008 @ 1:27 p.m. by Louis

Presentations from the recent TUANZ Teleworking 2008 conference, presented in association with Cisco, are now available for download online.The conference covered a wide range of topics relating to operating a remote or flexible workforce.Sessions included an international keynote delivered by Cris Palauni, manager of reservations of JetBlue Airways, who manages a team of 1500 reservations staff who all work from home.Local case studies were provided by Prue Jacobson of Unisys and Michael Foley of...

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Vo-damn! A tale of ‘roaming robbery’

Posted Wed 19 November 2008 @ 3:11 p.m. by Louis

The cost of using mobile broadband overseas has one TUANZ member calling 'roaming robbery'.The Auckland businessman, who wishes not to be named, discovered recently that Vodafone data costs 100 times the price it does locally when roaming just across the Tasman.This is his story:“Last week I was working in Australia. I needed to access my e-mail, so decided to try my Vodafone Vodem. With the new high speed mobile broadband network, the service worked extremely well – downloading my 20 e-mails in...

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New Zealand broadband build-out among the “most ambitious” in the world - Reynolds

Posted Wed 19 November 2008 @ 9:52 a.m. by Louis

Telecom CEO, Paul Reynolds, is claiming that New Zealand's current broadband build-out is “one of the most ambitious broadband programmes in the world”. According Computerworld.co.nz, Reynolds is making the claims in an interview with Television Hawke's Bay that airs tonight. In the interview, Reynolds reportedly says New Zealand has overtaken the UK in broadband and that services here are now the sixth cheapest in the world. He also claims that Telecom's own broadband services have improved...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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Digital Dipton will make life easier for Bill English

Posted Tue 18 November 2008 @ 2:17 p.m. by Ernie

Bill English is to use Skype to stay in touch with the electorate, the Southland Times reports.Great! The more senior MPs who rely on broadband, the more awareness of the need to improve the reach and speeds.Bill will be able to use the SSC's Fibre Map to check out how his electorate is faring in the fibre race, and his constituents' can test their actual speeds on this speed test. I'm sure the politically-astute telcos will have mapped his home and made sure it is well served, but the...

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“We value your ongoing custom…but it will cost you”

Posted Mon 17 November 2008 @ 4:31 p.m. by Louis

Shifting home – no one loves it, right? With all the packing and loading boxes and furniture onto a truck just to unload it all again a few kilometres down the road, it is just a hassle. Even getting movers in only serves to slightly reduce the hard labour part of the exercise. With all this physical activity going on, when it comes to the more virtual tasks of changing over power, insurance and – yeah, you guessed it – phone and internet accounts, most movers would expect this to be a relatively...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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Joyce is new Comms and IT Minister

Posted Mon 17 November 2008 @ 3:34 p.m. by Ernie

Stephen Joyce has been named this afternoon as the new Minister of Communications and IT.His history suggests he'll bring a pragmatic, business-focused view to the role. His knowledge of electronic media, gained through a career as a highly successful broadcasting entrepreneur, will give him a head start. And the fact that he is also to be Minister of Transport will give him an interesting crossover to other forms of infrastructure.TUANZ welcomes him to the role and looks forward to a constructive...

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Fibre - what's next?

Posted Fri 14 November 2008 @ 10:00 a.m. by Ernie

It's the $1.5 billion dollar, plus leverage, question. When do we start and what's the process?As National has acknowledged, they haven't put a lot of detail behind their proposals. This should surprise nobody - they've been in opposition and without access to the range of official advice their predecessors enjoyed.But the plans, concepts and intellectual grunt to make this happen, quickly and efficiently, are all out there scattered around the community.So in the event that I got a phone call inviting...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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TUANZ - what's up?

Posted Fri 14 November 2008 @ 9:17 a.m. by Ernie

Lots happening here - some good, some sad!You might have read in the media that TUANZ and Internet NZ have entered into a formal collaborative discovery process to explore opportunities for closer organisational alignment. Here's the full statement signed off by our Chairman Chris O'Connell and Internet NZ President Pete Macaulay.It's convergence-driven and makes heaps of good sense in my personal view!On an unrelated and sadder note, with the international financial meltdown the forecast...

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Thanks, David Cunliffe

Posted Mon 10 November 2008 @ 2:42 p.m. by Ernie

So the Labour-led government has gone - and with it for the moment at least, David Cunliffe as Minister of Communications. Cunliffe will be missed. Seriously.Like any business organisation TUANZ membership embraces a range of political colours. Yet through all the frenetic action and controversy of these last few years it has been hard to find anyone with a serious criticism of Cunliffe as Minister. No matter how blue their tie or yellow their jacket, I've found TUANZ members have regarded him with...

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Ultra Fast Broadband is on the way!

Posted Mon 10 November 2008 @ 1:52 p.m. by Ernie

Quote:"There's one modern technology that stands out in terms of its ability to:- draw us closer to our trading partners- put kiwis at the forefront of technological innovation- greatly enhance the way we do business and the way we communicateThat thing is ultra-fast broadband for all New Zealanders."Those words were John Key's. They led to an announcement of the very first economic commitment made by the National Party for this year's General Election - $1.5 billion for fibre. They come from...

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Blog help is on the way!

Posted Fri 7 November 2008 @ 8:18 a.m. by Ernie

Next Monday will be a really important day for New Zealand in two ways.First, there'll be a new government in some shape or form.Second, at long last I'll have a new Blogging Buddy. As my loyal reader may have spotted, I've been largely on my own here since Sarah left a month ago.I'm about to be joined by Louis van Wyk, who joins the staff of TUANZ on Monday. Louis is well known within the industry from his former role with Fairfax Business Media, where he is Editor of Reseller News, the sister...

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TUANZ unveils national digital architecture proposal

Posted Tue 4 November 2008 @ 9:32 a.m. by Ernie

TUANZ is this morning unveiling our new publication "Towards a national digital architecture." A follow up to our Manifesto last March that called for public investment in broadband alongside the industry, the new "green paper" sets out headings for an umbrella document. It notes that in the "old order" Telecom effectively made architectural decisions behind the scenes on behalf of the whole country, but with a new diverse base of investors including lines companies, non-traditional private investors...

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Tauranga - what's wrong with broadband there?

Posted Tue 4 November 2008 @ 8:34 a.m. by Ernie

That's the question posed by serial software entrepreneur and award-winning founder of Xero, Rod Drury.It seems a lot of accountants in that city who use the Xero product are complaining, and Rod is curious to know why. "We’ve done a huge amount of work to make sure our application is fast as it leaves our servers, he says, "but sometimes get speed complaints from parts of the country and Tauranga seems especially bad." Tauranga has had a chequered history in telecommunications, including...

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National broadband map - a posting from TUANZ Chair Chris O'Connell

Posted Mon 3 November 2008 @ 11:12 a.m. by Ernie

Something that was unimaginable just 2 years ago has happened today, and in practical terms it is one of the most visible actions of the refreshing new attitudes to be found in the revitalised Telecom! If you go to the State Services Commissions excellent broadband map you will see the entire Telecom fibre optic network listed! Once this was regarded as the most commercially sensitive data and best guess was all you could do if you wanted to know what was already in the ground either locally or...

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The Herald gets into teleworking

Posted Thu 30 October 2008 @ 1:06 p.m. by Ernie

Nice of The Herald to publish this article that I sent them earlier this week. There is quite a wave of understanding building around the opportuity that teleworking offers for economic, social and environmental benefit to employers and their staff.Don't forget our national teleworking conference the week after next - registrations here. Now's the moment to reserve your spot.

Categories: Events | Innovation | ISPs | TUANZ policy

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