TUANZ - Telecomunications Users Association Of New Zealand

TUANZ - Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand

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Posted Sat 28 February 2009 @ 1:54 p.m. by Ernie

TUANZ Chairman Chris O'Connell drew my attention to this pertinent post from Adam Smith's blog - "The Inquiring Mind."There is certainly no shortage of angles around this contentious issue.Meanwhile Judith Tizard, the Minister who drove Section 92a through parliament, has come out in its defence - somewhat at ofdds with her own party.

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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VoIP - modems are an issue

Posted Fri 27 February 2009 @ 2:07 p.m. by Ernie

I've blogged very positively on here about the excellent, economical VoIP service I get at home from WorldXChange, based on naked DSL from Telecom. But this time I sound a small note of caution.The WxC service is dependent on a special VoIP modem. Like any modem it sits quietly there, unnoticed, doing its job, month after month. But eventually it dies. Just like that.My caution is that replacing it is not proving easy. It's not an every day, $29.95 purchase at Dick Smith.Instead, supported by the...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs

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Ultra fast broadband critical for growth: Joyce

Posted Fri 27 February 2009 @ 12:30 p.m. by Louis

Ultra fast broadband is not be a luxury, but will be critically important to New Zealand's growth prospects, ICT minister Steven Joyce said at the Commerce Commission’s Broadband at a Crossroads conference yesterday. During a speech in which he reiterated the Government’s commitment to investing $1.5 billion in a fibre roll out, Minister Joyce said ultra-fast broadband will provide New Zealanders with the base infrastructure that will support advanced broadband services, including high-speed, real-time...

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TUANZ blogs generate great debate

Posted Fri 27 February 2009 @ 10:49 a.m. by Louis

TUANZ blogs quite often generate a fair amount of debate from readers who are always eager to share their thoughts and opinions about the topics or issues raised in the blog, and sometimes to simply point out some horrid typo. Occasionally these threads develop a life of their own as back and forth salvos start flying between commentators. A great example of is a robust debate between two opposing camps – Paul Brislen of Vodafone and Tex Edwards of NZ Communications, that has spanned three recent...

Categories: Light relief | Regulatory | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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3g data - no way a fixed line substitute

Posted Fri 27 February 2009 @ 6:50 a.m. by Ernie

I've been a conference junkie this week. With the focus on fibre, several times the matter of 3g mobile substitutability has arisen. I got a chuckle from one audience when I suggested that the focus on fibre gives the mobile guys "fears of inadequacy, and self-doubt."But these last 12 hours I've personally experienced a timely reminder that 3g data is light-years away from the reliability and speed of a fixed line.My WorldXChange home line is out of action - another story. So last night and again...

Categories: TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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Telco troika report gets more media scrutiny

Posted Thu 26 February 2009 @ 10:12 a.m. by Louis

The telco troika’s report arguing against the planned $1.5 billion Government investment on a fibre-to-the-home broadband network, has come under more fire today. In the New Zealand Herald today, technology columnist Simon Hendery refers to the Castalia report commission by Telecom, Vodafone and TelstraClear as a “cardigan crew's report” that has the “whiff of bad old days”. He adds the report is “unquestionably self-serving” to the three telco heavyweights, saying he is not surprised the big three...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | TUANZ policy | Vendors

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Section 92A put on ice

Posted Mon 23 February 2009 @ 5:33 p.m. by Louis

The unpopular Section 92A of the Copyright Act has been put on hold and may yet face the chop. Prime Minister John Key has just announced the law will be delayed until March 27 so that a voluntary code of practice can be worked out. But if no solution is reached by then, the law will be suspended. This is great news for all internet users, and comes amidst growing concern over the law especially among corporate internet users who would have been faced with high compliance costs, which...

Categories: ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

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Three carriers challenge government's fibre plans

Posted Sun 22 February 2009 @ 4:08 p.m. by Ernie

The government’s role in fibre is all over the weekend papers with some highs and lows. I’d give the prize for the shortest and most insightful summary to this piece by Tim Hunter in the Sunday Star Times. It aptly describes the dilemma around who should invest, the ongoing role of regulation, and the trade-off between efficiency and competition. And my sense is that he’s on the ball about the process. At the low end of the scale nothing can compete with the release of the report commissioned...

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Customer service at WorldXChange

Posted Sun 22 February 2009 @ 2:42 p.m. by Ernie

Having blogged my bad customer service experience with Vodafone on Friday I should be consistent and record WorldXChange today.My home phone and Internet are with WxC. I'm a great fan - good quality VoIP service, excellent Internet, and really keen pricing at around $64 a month for voice and data.The quality is very good. Sometimes the voice quality is perceptibly below PSTN level. And they have a few more outages than I'd like, but I can live with all that for the price saving.So today, my home...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs

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Customer service at Vodafone

Posted Sun 22 February 2009 @ 2:16 p.m. by Ernie

I spent most of Friday morning in huge frustration, trying to get a problem fixed with my Vodafone mobile, with zero success.Thursday evening I found several messages on my voicemail - all of them received while my phone was on my desk, in the office, switched on and waiting for calls. And no text to say they were there waiting.So Friday morning I tried ringing my mobile several times, from a landline. Zilch. No connection - sometimes not even a ringing tone, other...

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

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Wellington gets more unbundled

Posted Fri 20 February 2009 @ 12:43 p.m. by Louis

Auckland-based ISP Orcon has expanded its local loop unbundled services to Wellington. Residential and business users connected to the Wellington Central and Courtenay Place exchanges can now sign up for Orcon’s local loop unbundled (LLU) telephone and ADSL2+ broadband network, the company says. While Orcon was the first provider to introduce new phone and internet plans following the unbundling of the local loop in late 2006, it is not the first to unbundle the capital though. This honour belongs...

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

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Posted Thu 19 February 2009 @ 1:42 p.m. by Ernie

Labour communications spokesperson Clare Curran has released a press statement which in my books, comes as close as possible to acknowledging that the Act her own party pushed through parliament - with National's support - won't work.Good for her. Someone needs to take a lead and sort this out.Meanwhile TUANZ has written to Prime Minister John Key and others calling for either a repeal or a year's delay.And Wellington is marching today, while Auckland plans to tomorrow or Saturday.Its not often IT...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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Mission accomplished for Vodafone 3G - well almost

Posted Thu 19 February 2009 @ 1:36 p.m. by Louis

The Mission Accomplished banners are set to be raised at Vodafone HQ in May, as the carrier celebrates the completed roll-out of its 3G network a year early. The company said today that by May 31, its 3G network will cover 97 percent of the places New Zealanders “live, work and play”. The network’s current coverage stands at 70 percent, and its completion was slated only for next year, however the roll-out has been fast tracked, as the June launch of Telecom’s new 3G network nears. Vodafone New...

Categories: Innovation | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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FTTH no Greek myth

Posted Wed 18 February 2009 @ 3:19 p.m. by Louis

If Odysseus was alive today, he would rejoice. Greece, including its islands, is set to get fibre-to-the-home as early as next year. Imagine the trials and hardships the ancient hero would have avoided had he had access to such technology in his day. Instead, of making an arduous journey home to re-claim his throne he could just have used the fibre link to send a video message to his son Telemachus announcing he was stranded on Calypso’s island. But mythology aside, the Greek government has confirmed...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Innovation

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Universal phone chargers can’t come soon enough

Posted Wed 18 February 2009 @ 12:48 p.m. by Louis

Finally, the bane of many mobile phone users will soon be a distant memory – incompatible chargers. A group of 17 of the main mobile phone manufacturers and operators have agreed to introduce a universal charger for new mobile phones. The initiative, led by mobile communications industry representative body GSMA, aims to get the mobile industry to adopt a common format for mobile phone chargers based on the Micro-USB interface by 2012. Manufactures who have signed up include LG, Motorola, Nokia,...

Categories: Innovation | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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Teleware promises to lower mobile rates

Posted Wed 18 February 2009 @ 9:56 a.m. by Louis

TUANZ members responded positively to the prospect of saving costs on everyday and international mobile calls through the latest offering by unified communications vendor Teleware. Teleware is hosting this month’s round of the TUANZ After 5s events in Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland. The events kicked off in Christchurch on Monday with Teleware’s general manager for New Zealand Richard Adams giving attendees an advanced glimpse of the company’s latest offering, Intelligent...

Categories: Events | Innovation | Vendors

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Fibre to the home on our doorstep

Posted Sat 14 February 2009 @ 8:53 p.m. by Ernie

The number of economies where fibre to the home has established a significant and growing market presence has nearly doubled over the past 18 months. That's according to an updated global ranking issued today by the FTTH Councils.Sure, this is toe-in-the water stuff. It counts any country where FTTH reaches 1% or more of residences. But its undeniably an indicator of the way the world is moving. If you live in a truly progressive country, FTTH will be on your doorstep sooner rather than later.Its especially...

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Posted Sat 14 February 2009 @ 10:23 a.m. by Ernie

At last! A Minister has spoken up about the unintended consequences of the Copyright Act. United Future leader and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said yesterday it should be discarded.Well done, Minister. Maybe there is hope.Cross party support and MMP notwithstanding, Parliament doesn't always get it right. Witness the Electoral Finance Act which is proving as difficult to put to death as it was to manage. There is less than a fortnight to go before the flawed Section 92a comes into force. Repeal...

Categories: ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

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Musings on copyright and compliance costs

Posted Thu 12 February 2009 @ 7:24 a.m. by Ernie

Around 50 TUANZ members, mostly large enterprise network owners, took advantage of the invitation to attend workshops on the new Act earlier this week in Auckland and Wellington.Enough has been said about the flawed nature of the Act.I suggested to both meetings that there were several realities we should all just accept:- No responsible person condones copyright theft, major organisations especially- If a business network is used for the purpose its even worse - like using a company vehicle to go...

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"This year" for NZ Comms launch

Posted Thu 12 February 2009 @ 7:05 a.m. by Ernie

New Zealand Communications will launch its mobile network this year. So said CEO Mike Reynolds on National Radio this morning.Reynolds expressed full confidence in the launch date. The company has 230 staff in place. It's brand will be revealed before too long but will be something other than "NZ Communications." Funding is not an issue. However, Reynolds stressed the critical importance to the company of the Commerce Commission's current investigation into mobile termination rates. TUANZs...

Categories: TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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Mobile Train Robbery, Vodafone's statistics, and good news ahead

Posted Wed 11 February 2009 @ 6:41 a.m. by Ernie

Thanks to NZ Communications irrepressible Tex Edwards, and Vodafone's equally irrepressible spinner Paul Brislen, last week's thread "Third Mobile Operator a Step Closer" has diverted into a squabble about how NZ mobile termination rates compare to other countries. It’s a crucial issue, so I'll re-start it under this more appropriate heading.Paul commented as follows:"The OECD ranks NZ termination rates anywhere from the middle of the pack to the low end (depending on how you work out currency...

Categories: Innovation | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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Telecom and Vodafone may become bedfellows - of sorts

Posted Mon 9 February 2009 @ 2:25 p.m. by Louis

It appears our two mobile phone operators, Vodafone and Telecom, may soon get very cosy – across the Ditch anyway. It was announced today that Hutchison 3G, in which Telecom holds a 10 percent stake, and Vodafone have agreed to merge their Australian operations. The merger will create a new 50-50 joint venture named VHA Limited that will operate under the Vodafone brand. However, Telecom here is not saying yet how this merger will affect its future shareholding in Hutchison, with a spokesperson...

Categories: Regulatory | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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BIF is biffed and DDC gets decapitated

Posted Thu 5 February 2009 @ 12:47 p.m. by Louis

The Government has announced today that it is biffing the Broadband Investment Fund (BIF) and that it will no longer fund the Digital Development Council and Forum (DDC). In a statement released earlier today, Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce said the BIF was not compatible with the new government’s roll out of ultra fast broadband to the premises. “It had its own specific set of criteria and was not focussed on our key objective of achieving widespread ultra fast...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy

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Posted Thu 5 February 2009 @ 9:26 a.m. by Ernie

Lots has happened in the past day on the saga of the flawed Section 92a of the Copyright Act. First, the TCF yesterday released its Draft Code. It takes a bit of reading. The essence is that if a copyright owner alleges a breach, the ISP must communicate that down the chain to the end user, who must provide a response via the ISP. If the end user doesn’t respond after three such notices to the satisfaction of the Rights Holder, the ISP must disconnect the end user. (Note that this is a requirement...

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TCF releases draft ISP copyright code

Posted Wed 4 February 2009 @ 3:54 p.m. by Louis

The Telecommunications Carriers’ Forum has just released its Draft ISP Copyright Code of Practice for public consultation. The code aims to help ISPs deal with Section 92A of the Copyright Act, which requires them to have a policy to terminate the accounts of repeat copyright infringers in 'appropriate circumstances'. In a media statement released this afternoon, TCF CEO Ralph Chivers says even though the Section 92A is seriously flawed, the TCF is acting responsibly to ensure members have guidance...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Vendors

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