TUANZ - Telecomunications Users Association Of New Zealand

TUANZ - Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand

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Chorus takes a hit to look after customers

Posted Mon 31 August 2009 @ 2:01 p.m. by Ernie

As industrial action continues, Chorus has moved to do the right thing by customers. It announced this afternoon that Visionstream will start its field operations three weeks early in two areas where customer service was starting to be impacted - Waitakere and North Shore City. Visionstream will start managing North Shore operations on September 7 and Waitakere on September 14. I guess this means for a period Chorus are paying twice over for the same work. If so, its a good sign of commitment...

Categories: Education | Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Vendors

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Rosemary Sinclair to chair INTUG

Posted Mon 31 August 2009 @ 5:31 a.m. by Ernie

My Australian counterpart and good friend Rosemary Sinclair has been appointed to Chair the International Telecommunications Users Group, INTUG, following the untimely death of Dr Sergio Antocicco in May.Rosemary takes over at a challenging time with user associations globally having to grapple with the economic downturn. However, INTUG has displayed considerable resilience over the years, having been an effective conduit of information and skill for user groups around the world, and especially...

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

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Only one week to go to the Innovation Awards

Posted Thu 27 August 2009 @ 3:11 p.m. by Louis

There is just one week to go before TUANZ and IDC reveal who is the best of the best in New Zealand’s ICT sector at the TUANZ Innovation Awards held in association with Voco. The great news is that a limited number of corporate tables of 10, as well as individual tickets, are still available to the black-tie awards dinner next Thursday, 3 September at the SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland. The evening will feature cocktails on arrival, a three-course meal, drinks and post-dinner entertainment. This...

Categories: Events | Innovation

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IOG Decision is not the tip of any iceberg

Posted Thu 27 August 2009 @ 1:50 p.m. by Ernie

Independent Oversight Group - take a bow! Like a middle aged Alsatian you've dozed peacefully on the carpet for 18 months until everyone stopped noticing you. But the moment there's trouble, you're there with teeth bared.There's always going to be tension between Telecom's legitimate right to protect its business, and the equally legitimate right of its competitors and end users to know that its market dominance is not being misused in ways contrary to the long term interests of end users. The...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | TUANZ policy

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Key ups the budget for rural broadband

Posted Sun 23 August 2009 @ 10:19 a.m. by Ernie

John Key's announcement that the government is to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more than the palty $48 million originally earmarked for rural broadband has to be the very best telecommunications news for some time.Speaking on the Country Channel, Key described rural broadband as "a commercial must for agriculture" and essential to productivity improvement.Amen to that.But I'd go further. I see it as transformational not just to farming as an industry, but to rural New Zealand overall. Its...

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US users rally to Take Back the Beep

Posted Fri 21 August 2009 @ 2:35 p.m. by Louis

A New York Times blogger’s crusade to take on that country’s four largest mobile operators has shown how effective mass public campaigns can be. David Pogue started a campaign a few weeks ago to get AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon to eliminate (or make optional) their recorded instructions that people hear when leaving or accessing voicemails. We are all familiar with these messages which often play after a user’s personal greeting. They go something like this: “At the tone, please...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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Callplus/Slingshot mobile arrives

Posted Fri 21 August 2009 @ 12:45 p.m. by Louis

Callplus this week flicked the switch on its mobile offerings, giving end users yet another option for mobile services. The company started its mobile service, as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) on Vodafone’s network, on Monday and is targeting both business and consumers through its Callplus and Slingshot brands respectively. For both markets the company is promoting the advantage of bundled mobile, broadband and fixed line plans, saying customers will benefit from reduced rates, simple...

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

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TUANZ responds to more scare tactics from Vodafone

Posted Thu 20 August 2009 @ 12:07 p.m. by Louis

TUANZ has issued a strong response to claims by Vodafone that consumers will not benefit from regulation of mobile termination rates (MTRs), as fixed line operators will not pass through most of the reductions. In a statement just released, TUANZ Chief Executive said this morning’s announcement by Vodafone is no more than another diversionary scare tactic from the company’s international armoury. “Vodafone is effectively saying that if the Commerce Commission and Government go soft on regulating...

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

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Drop the Rate, Mate gets global exposure

Posted Mon 17 August 2009 @ 11:31 a.m. by Louis

Kiwis’ struggle for fair mobile pricing has received global exposure from London to New York. The “Drop the Rate, Mate” campaign, launched last week to help lower mobile phone costs for Kiwis, got a mention in the New York Times, has been blogged about by organisers of the British campaign that inspired it and was covered by Dutch telecoms news site Telecom Paper. The New York Times article talks about the struggle in Europe to lower mobile termination rates, and cites “Drop the Rate, Mate” and...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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David Farrar on "Drop the Rate Mate"

Posted Fri 14 August 2009 @ 6:17 p.m. by Ernie

David Farrar's "Kiwiblog" has posted a supportive comment around the Drop the Rate campaign. David doubles as a market researcher, and interviewed some student focus groups in that capacity before the Campaign launch.David's comment about their market behavior is insightful:"Many said that their choice of mobile phone provider has nothing to do with personal choice, but (is) totally dependent on who all their friends are with. Hence in Wellington most students are Telecom and in Auckland most...

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Get the facts on Fibre Channel over Ethernet at the next TUANZ After 5s hosted by Brocade

Posted Fri 14 August 2009 @ 12:45 p.m. by Louis

Join Brocade at the TUANZ After 5s in September and get the facts on Fibre Channel over Ethernet. Brocade has been developing early market products and contributing to the standards development of Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE) and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE). This technology simplifies server connectivity for both storage and messaging traffic. But as a new technology, there is confusion surrounding how and when FCoE will be deployed, and whether it complements or replaces Fibre Channel,...

Categories: Education | Events | Vendors

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Members call on TUANZ to “scream, yell, lobby” over mobile to freephone costs

Posted Fri 14 August 2009 @ 12:38 p.m. by Louis

TUANZ members have called on TUANZ to take action on the cost of accepting calls to freephone numbers from mobile phones. Results from a survey conducted of TUANZ members revealed strong support for TUANZ to take on the issue. In fact, one respondent called on TUANZ to “Scream, yell, lobby!!!”, while another told us to “Lobby to reduce call costs, enabling business to provide better customer service”. The survey of TUANZ members was conducted in July in response to mounting concerns expressed...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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TUANZ makes submission on latest draft of Section 92A

Posted Thu 13 August 2009 @ 4:48 p.m. by Louis

TUANZ has made a submission to the Ministry of Economic Development on its Review Policy Proposal Document on the redrafting of Section 92A of the Copyright Act. We lobbied hard for this law to be changed before it was sent back for redrafting days before its original implementation date earlier this year. Our latest submission states that while the new draft is a distinct improvement over the original S92A, it still leaves crucial questions unanswered, and fails to address fundamental issues...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy

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Coming soon to your mobile – more productivity

Posted Thu 13 August 2009 @ 3:28 p.m. by Louis

A new deal between Nokia and Microsoft has the potential to greatly boost productivity by giving more users access to PC applications on their mobiles. Under the deal, mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications, including Communicator, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, will run on Nokia handsets. Office applications have been available on devices running Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system for some time, but having these tools accessible and optimised on market-leader Nokia’s handsets...

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

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Rural broadband announcement will focus on backhaul and schools - Minister

Posted Thu 13 August 2009 @ 11:52 a.m. by Ernie

The government will be making specific announcements about its rural broadband intentions in two to three weeks, Communications Minister Steven Joyce told the annual conference of the NZ Council for Infrastructure Development in Wellington this morning. Earlier in the day TUANZ had taken the government gently to task on National Radio for its silence about its broadband plans. So I was heartened in the introduction when the Minister said he would be talking about the “Two Ts of transport and telecommunications”,...

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2009 TUANZ Innovation Awards finalists announced

Posted Thu 13 August 2009 @ 9:58 a.m. by Louis

TUANZ has great pleasure in announcing the finalists in the 2009 TUANZ Innovation Awards, held in association with Voco.Once again these prestigious annual awards, hosted this year in partnership with IDC New Zealand, have attracted a high calibre of entries that demonstrate outstanding innovation in the telecommunications sector in New Zealand.According to head judge Leo Neal the entries received were once again of an outstanding standard, adding that innovation is one of the key drivers of productivity.“The...

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Telco scare tactics not unique to NZ

Posted Wed 12 August 2009 @ 4:47 p.m. by Louis

It seems Vodafone is not the only mobile operator using scare tactics to try put the public off from supporting a drop in mobile termination rates. In response to the launch of the Drop the Rate, Mate campaign yesterday, Vodafone argued that lower MTRs could in fact result in higher retail prices, as telcos seek to make up the loss in revenues elsewhere, and that this would mostly affect those on pre-pay who don't make many calls. Vodafone has also earlier warned that poorer households will...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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Over 5,500 Kiwis saying Drop the Rate, Mate

Posted Wed 12 August 2009 @ 3:03 p.m. by Louis

Within 24 hours of its launch the Drop the Rate, Mate campaign has already gained over 5,500 followers who have signed the online petition at www.droptherate.org.nz. In addition, the campaign, which is backed by TUANZ and group of other influential organisations including 2degrees, Consumer NZ, Federated Farmers, the Federation of Maori Authorities and the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, has generated a great amount of media coverage over the past day. One of the highlights...

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

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Drop the Rate - the Incumbents Strike Back

Posted Wed 12 August 2009 @ 12:07 p.m. by Ernie

“Drop the Rate Mate” has got off to a good start. Lots of media exposure and lots of positive feedback from all over the place. Thousands of customers signing up – one every 20 seconds, day and night, at the last count. (Have you and your friends joined yet?) Telecom and Vodafone have responded, as is their right. Leaving aside the natural reactive and emotive stuff, and the bluster, the substance is worth considering. Telecom’s Mark Watts says that Telecom is entitled to make a profit and that...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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Kiwis fed up with high mobile rates: study

Posted Tue 11 August 2009 @ 3:20 p.m. by Louis

A new study has revealed that 81% of Kiwis feel they are being ripped off for the privilege of using a mobile phone. The independent study was conducted by Curia Market Research on behalf of the new Drop the Rate, Mate! campaign which launched today with TUANZ as a supporting sponsor. The study shows 81% of New Zealanders want Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce to accept the Commerce Commission’s draft recommendation to cut New Zealand’s excessive mobile termination...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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It is time to Drop the Rate, Mate!

Posted Tue 11 August 2009 @ 2:11 p.m. by Louis

TUANZ has joined forces with a number of influential organisations to launch a new campaign against New Zealand's very high mobile termination rates. The “Drop the Rate, Mate!” campaign aims to support the Commerce Commission’s draft recommendation that the Government step in to reduce these rates urgently. TUANZ has its sights sets on lowering MTRs for many years as they distort the mobile and fixed line markets by creating closed groups of users within Vodafone's and Telecom's networks,...

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

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Is NZ making most of online TV opportunities?

Posted Mon 10 August 2009 @ 4:01 p.m. by Louis

New research shows that while New Zealanders are increasingly going online for TV viewing, insufficient access to broadband and restrictive data caps continue to impede uptake. The NBR reports that according to a Nielsen Media Research study, the number of people watching TV online leapt from 194,000 to 330,000 in just two years. But the report also highlights that New Zealand’s lacklustre broadband penetration is putting the brakes on wider adoption. According to the NBR, the 330,000 people...

Categories: Innovation | ISPs | TUANZ policy

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On 2degrees getting the third degree

Posted Fri 7 August 2009 @ 12:54 p.m. by Louis

You have to feel for 2degrees this week. First, they had the spectacular highs of their launch, with wall-to-wall media coverage (out of which TUANZ did not do too badly either, I must add). Then almost immediately they had to jump into crisis mode when high traffic volumes brought to light security flaws with sections of their website, which remains closed. While this issue has caused some bad publicity, overall there has been a great amount of goodwill shown to 2degrees in the media ahead of...

Categories: TUANZ policy | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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2 Degrees launches with a splash

Posted Thu 6 August 2009 @ 6:26 a.m. by Ernie

The 2 Degrees launch this week has had a bit of everything. Drama. The prices they’ve gone with are a good deal lower than most commentators expected. They certainly show the distance the market has to fall. Their service is a really attractive proposition for people at the price-sensitive end of the market. And the’re offering breakthrough prices for international roaming. Theatre. They’ve done it with style and got a huge amount of media attention. For a brand that’s come from nowhere there’s...

Categories: Events | Wireless carriers

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2 Degrees - you don't win them all

Posted Thu 6 August 2009 @ 6:13 a.m. by Ernie

My earlier posting noted the degree of public awareness 2 Degrees has around a brand that was unheard of a month ago. But it seems public understanding is not absolutely accurate. Witness this conversation yesterday in a taxi in Wellington, after I had finished making a call in which 2 degrees name was mentioned:Driver: This 2 Degrees - are they a good company?Me: (Supressing the irritation I feel when cabbies reveal they've been listening to conversations) Yes, they've certainly got some good prices.Driver:...

Categories: Light relief | Wireless carriers

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