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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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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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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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Kordia’s vision enlightens After 5s audience

Posted Fri 28 November 2008 @ 3:14 p.m. by Louis

Kordia lifted the lid on some visionary projects during the TUANZ After 5s circuit this month. Chief executive Geoff Hunt gave details of two major projects Kordia is seeking funding for which he says are aimed at delivering better and more affordable broadband to New Zealanders. The first is a proposed fibre network roll-out in the Northland region. Kordia has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Northland Regional Council, NorthPower and Top Energy to build the network. The group has...

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

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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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Teleworking hits the headlines

Posted Thu 20 November 2008 @ 11:18 a.m. by Louis

Last week’s inaugural TUANZ Teleworking 2008 conference has received a fair amount of coverage in the latest Computerworld. The coverage includes an interview by Computerworld editor Rob O’Neill with SalesforceatHome general manager Jacob Murray-White who presented at the event. The article also includes a video interview O’Neill conducted with Bevis England, director of Telework New Zealand, who presented two sessions at the conference. In addition, Computerworld has also published a case-study...

Categories: Events | Innovation | TUANZ policy | Vendors

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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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JetBlue takes flight with teleworking

Posted Tue 11 November 2008 @ 1:38 p.m. by Louis

Representatives from innovative US airline, JetBlue, which grew up with an at-home workforce, delivered some compelling insight into the benefits and issues related to operating a remote workforce at the TUANZ Teleworking 2008 Conference today. JetBlue has 1500 of its reservation staff working from home and says this arrangement benefits, not only the company, but also its employees and customers. In the opening address of the conference, Cris Palauni, JetBlue’s Manager of Reservations, says although...

Categories: Events | Innovation | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

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Let the ramblings begin…

Posted Mon 10 November 2008 @ 4:33 p.m. by Louis

Greetings and welcome to my first Downstream blog entry. Allow me to introduce myself – I am Louis van Wyk – the newly installed Communications and Marketing Manager here at TUANZ. A little about myself… I am South African by birth, but a New Zealander by choice having made this country my home over the past seven years. Career-wise I have spent the majority of my time in New Zealand reporting on the local IT sales channel – this is the community of folks who sell, implement, consult on, design,...

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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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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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Doing more with what we've got

Posted Thu 30 October 2008 @ 10:01 a.m. by Ernie

Doesn't it all feel a bit surreal? Here all are, sitting at our desks and trying to forecast and plan for 2009 and beyond while the world's economic foundations seem to be in the midst of a force 10 quake.Bernice Archer of our TUANZ team was at an international contact centre conference a few weeks ago. She reported back that the theme she picked up from delegates was that everyone expects to have to do more with what they've got. They weren't predicting a flash year ahead in terms of budgets and...

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Healh and IT - an opportunity awaits

Posted Fri 24 October 2008 @ 9:00 a.m. by Ernie

This week's news that three patients who needed quick health treatment suffered setbacks because their records were lost in transit between District Health Boards is a wake-up call. Clearly the huge opportunities IT offers for a more efficient health system have yet to be captured.Why, in 2008, are DHBs and the health system generally so addicted to sticking hard copy in envelopes and licking stamps? Surely health, of all sectors, is crying out for the immediacy and efficiency of all-electronic processes.Wednesday's...

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

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Roaming charges to the forefront at APEC

Posted Thu 16 October 2008 @ 10:39 a.m. by Ernie

Here at APECTel the Australian delegation has just presented this succinct but extremely telling summary of the problem of excessive international roaming charges and the issues surrounding them.Scroll down and take a look at the wonderful diagram showing how roaming charges compare in the Asia Pacific region vis-à-vis Europe. Notice there's quite some disparity between Telecom and Vodafone with both being a long, long way from lily white - there's far too much red in the New Zealand section...

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

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Rural uses of connectivity - lessons from Peru

Posted Wed 15 October 2008 @ 4:26 a.m. by Ernie

I’m in Lima, Peru this week doing my 6-monthly stint at APECTel, the telecommunications working group of the APEC economies. Its always a rich opportunity to get away from the day-to-day pressures and re-energise with updated experiences from other places, as well as refreshing TUANZ’s international network of contacts. I’m here representing the International Telecommunications Users Group, INTUG. New Zealand is represented by Dr Peter Crabtree from the MED.Yesterday INTUG coordinated an “Industry...

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

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Telework - the way of tomorrow, really good for you and your team

Posted Wed 8 October 2008 @ 3:10 p.m. by Ernie

Get used to the word "Telework." Its going to be in everyone's vocabulary over these coming months. Because:- TUANZ has written a paper on it for members and is about to launch an introductory event called Teleworking 2008- The government is keen as mustard all of a sudden, with Teleworking even featuring in the Digital Strategy 2.0- There are huge benefits for employers, employees, and the planetHere's a really short, simple summary from "Wired" of why teleworking's a great idea whose time...

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Success for Zeacom

Posted Thu 25 September 2008 @ 3:12 p.m. by Ernie

Congratulations to Zeacom's CEO Miles Valentine, who has been named the winner of the Technology category in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Miles launched Zeacom 14 years ago and continues to make a real mark on the telecommunications sector. Its an outstanding example of Kiwi innovation, with a very sizeable international presence.Zeacom has promoted its products through TUANZ many, many times over the years and has become a very respected part of the ICT scene here.TUANZ members...

Categories: Events | Fixed line carriers | Innovation | Wireless carriers

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4 October - the day to get rid of your old computers

Posted Fri 19 September 2008 @ 8:37 a.m. by Ernie

Saturday 4 October is e-day. That's the day to send old computers and related electronic waste to designated collection points all arond New Zealand for environmentally- sensitive diisposal.TUANZ is not directly involved but firmly supports this annuial initiative.Details here. If in doubt, chuck it out!

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Is Mobile Broadband where it's at?

Posted Fri 29 August 2008 @ 3:02 p.m. by Sarah

Yesterday TUANZ held two events, in the afternoon a special Telecommunications Day and in the evening the TUANZ Innovation Awards black tie dinner. I phoned the TUANZ Chair this afternoon to get his take on Telco Day II, which featured keynote speaker Dr Sachio Semmoto, a self-described serial entrepreneur who's recently launched EMOBILE, a mobile broadband company in Japan. “What came out of Telco Day II is a fairly clear snap shot of the importance of mobile broadband supported by interesting...

Categories: Events | Wireless carriers

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Liz Dengate Thrush foundation launched

Posted Tue 26 August 2008 @ 5:46 a.m. by Ernie

TUANZ was privileged to be in attendance last Thursday night when Internet NZ launched the Liz Dengate Thrush foundation at a black tie dinner at the Wellington Club. A technology leader who died under tragic circumstances, Liz was deeply involved with TUANZ for a time in 2002 when we initiated our very first National Broadband Applications Project - a 230-person 2-day conference in Nelson which culminated in our publication "Survival of the Fastest." The concept of the event...

Categories: Events | Innovation

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