TUANZ - Telecomunications Users Association Of New Zealand

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Vector removes data caps for fibre customers

Posted Fri 27 November 2009 @ 11:07 a.m. by Louis

Business users can now get unlimited data traffic on VectorFibre’s new InterNet service – at speeds of up to 100 Mbps and for a flat monthly fee. This means customers don’t have to give an estimate of their expected data demand for the month, says Vector chief executive Simon Mackenzie. “This is a critical departure from traditional telecommunications industry practice where customers need to provide advance notice to their ISPs of their expected data requirements for the month. “As our fibre...

Categories: Broadband | Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Vendors

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New entrant PerfectVision to debut at first After 5s in 2010

Posted Wed 25 November 2009 @ 2:13 p.m. by Louis

US-based cabling provider PerfectVision will host the first TUANZ After 5s of 2010 as it looks to expand its presence to our shores. PerfectVision has been developing, manufacturing and distributing high-tech products, high performance materials and electronic components since 1979, and is now expanding its presence worldwide with a special focus on Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Asia. While traditionally a manufacturer of connectors, coaxial cables, tools and other accessories for the satellite...

Categories: Broadband | Events | Vendors

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Orcon zero rates YouTube

Posted Tue 24 November 2009 @ 10:06 a.m. by Louis

Orcon will be zero rating all YouTube traffic for the next two months. The company already does not count browsing to or content streaming from local sites such as TVNZ and George FM towards a customer’s monthly data cap, and until the end of January 2010, YouTube will get the same treatment. The move comes as Telecom started selling the much-anticipated Tivo personal video recorder for the first time in New Zealand earlier this month. As part of the deal, Telecom broadband customers can download...

Categories: Broadband | Fixed line carriers | ISPs

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Rural broadband symposium - Reflections on Day 1

Posted Fri 13 November 2009 @ 9:38 a.m. by Ernie

Yesterday was the first day of the Rural Broadband Symposium that TUANZ is running alongside Federated Farmers. It was a very stimulating day with some excellent speakers and a real buzz of anticipation around the prospect of a connected rural hinterland. Louis is preparing a comprehensive summary report. Meanwhile here were my three take-away recurring themes from the first day: Theme 1 – the Government’s Rural Broadband Plan • the concept is right• ...

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ComCom monitoring shows a stellar year for competition

Posted Fri 13 November 2009 @ 9:06 a.m. by Ernie

The Commerce Commission is producing really high quality market monitoring reports these days, based in part on the regular OECD benchmarks but adjusting for specific New Zealand characteristics. The Monitoring report it released yesterday is very heartening from a user perspective. While we’re still a long way from the TUANZ vision of “Top Ten in the OECD for Communications Technology” we’re moving fast in the right direction. Please scan the whole report. Here’s some of what you’ll...

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Get updates from Rural Broadband Symposium on Twitter

Posted Thu 12 November 2009 @ 1:13 p.m. by Louis

Follow updates from the 2009 TUANZ Rural Broadband Symposium live on Twitter. For the most active stream of tweets from the event which is currently being held in Rotorua, follow Computerworld editor Rob O’Neill here: robonz, or Internet NZ here: InternetNZ I will also be tweeting from the event, but sporadically: louisvanwyk Or search the tag #TUANZ to find other delegates twittering live.

Categories: Broadband | Events

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NEW - Fibre to the home Council to meet in Auckland

Posted Tue 10 November 2009 @ 1:59 p.m. by Ernie

The Fibre to the Home Council is to hold its first-ever meeting in New Zealand next week, reflecting the intensity of interest in this part of the world. There is space for a few professional participants to take part - contact John Nixon at this link to inquire.The Council is an increasingly effective body with chapters in Europe and Asia Pacific. I attended one of their meetings in Europe a few years ago and came back pumped up with the potential of the technology. I have no doubt this inaugural...

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Budde roundtable to focus on govt fibre plan

Posted Tue 10 November 2009 @ 10:10 a.m. by Louis

The upcoming BuddeComm Roundtable in Auckland and Wellington will explore what the next step is for the Government’s planned ultra-fast broadband roll-out. Hosted by world renowned telecommunications consultant Paul Budde the roundtable will be held in Auckland on Monday, 30 November and Wellington on Tuesday, 1 December. During the morning session, the various aspects of the Government’s plan will be presented, together with an overview of similar developments in Australia, the USA and Europe....

Categories: Broadband | Events | Fixed line carriers | Regulatory

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Mobile termination another step towards the wire

Posted Mon 9 November 2009 @ 4:22 p.m. by Ernie

The long-running mobile termination rates debate came another step closer to the wire this afternoon.Earlier, the three mobile operators each submitted to the Commission a revised final Undertaking as an alternative to regulation. Each Undertaking, understandably, was conditional on reciprocity but each, understandably, was different. This left the Commission in a dilemma.This afternoon it published a letter written to Vodafone, 2Degrees and Telecom about the way ahead. It wants the three to sit...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

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Catch Ernie at first NZ Comverse seminar

Posted Fri 6 November 2009 @ 11:12 a.m. by Louis

TUANZ chief executive Ernie Newman will be a guest speaker at the first Comverse APAC Vision Seminar to be held in New Zealand. Comverse is hosting the seminar in Auckland on 17 November to mark its recent entry into the local market, which has also seen it join TUANZ as a member. The company is a leading provider of software and systems enabling value-added services for voice, messaging, mobile internet and mobile advertising; converged billing and active customer management; and IP communications....

Categories: Events | Innovation | Vendors

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ComCom takes Telecom to court over loyalty deal

Posted Fri 6 November 2009 @ 9:30 a.m. by Louis

The Commerce Commission has just announced it is issuing legal proceedings over loyalty offers made by Telecom’s Wholesale business unit. The proceedings will allege that three separate loyalty offers made by Telecom Wholesale between December 2008 and July 2009 are likely to have breached the unit’s obligation not to discriminate between service providers under the Telecom Separation Undertakings. In a statement released this morning the Commission says it considers that “breaches of Telecom’s...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Regulatory

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TUANZ makes submissions on TSO and rural broadband

Posted Thu 5 November 2009 @ 2:55 p.m. by Louis

TUANZ has made submissions on both the Government’s proposal to reform the Telecommunications Services Obligations (TSO) and its proposed Rural Broadband Initiative. Both submissions can be accessed in the User News section of the TUANZ website. To view the submission on the TSO reform, click here, and to view the Rural Broadband Initiative submission, click here. The Government announced a proposal in September to replace the current TSO levy with a new industry levy to help fund rural...

Categories: Broadband | Fixed line carriers | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

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Does Education Need a Rocket?

Posted Wed 4 November 2009 @ 1:05 p.m. by Ernie

“There’s a danger that New Zealand schools could become islands of pencil and paper in a digital world.” It was an unscripted throwaway line in the midst of a presentation by the Ministry of Economic Development’s Brad Ward. He was speaking to the Korea Australia New Zealand Broadband Summit here in Auckland this morning. And in my opinion he’s right on the money! Brad, along with colleague Nick Manning, gave an informative and professional overview of New Zealand’s plans for ultra fast broadband....

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Catching up on old friends

Posted Tue 3 November 2009 @ 3:06 p.m. by Ernie

Thanks to the government, I'm having a great week talking to old friends.Its not intentional. You see, the government introduced the ban on hand-held cell phones in cars. My hands-free was unsatisfactory so i invested in a new Blueant Supertooth 3 which clings to the sun visor, plays really nicely with the Blackberry, and works just fine.Fine, except for the data/voice conversion which can be a lottery on a bad day. I dont know whether the woman inside the Supertooth is dense, or...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Innovation | Light relief | Vendors | Wireless carriers

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Voda drops freephone rates

Posted Mon 2 November 2009 @ 5:03 p.m. by Louis

Our members can celebrate a result on another hot issue that has been a major focus for TUANZ – the cost of operating a toll free number. Vodafone has today announced two new products it says will save businesses up to 30% on toll-free phone services. The new products, called free2Call Advanced and free2Call Premium, provide customers with a toll free number that can terminate at numerous fixed or mobile numbers, says Vodafone. Pricing for the services start from $50 a month and will cost up...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | TUANZ policy

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Research backward-focused and too early

Posted Mon 2 November 2009 @ 3:54 p.m. by Ernie

Garbage in, garbage out was the old saying. That appears to be the fundamental problem with the report “The Need for Speed; Impacts of Internet Connectivity on Firm Productivity” released by consultants Motu and funded by yours truly, the taxpayer. The Report’s primary conclusion – that while there are productivity benefits from moving from dial-up to slow broadband there is no evidence that the productivity benefits increase with access to higher speeds – is highly misleading. Misleading...

Categories: Broadband | Fixed line carriers | TUANZ policy

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