Internet Stories

The NZ Herald has a good set of Internet stories currently.

First off is the ongoing problems for Ihug, now into the third week, and how they are losing customers. I have thought myself about moving but have decided not to (at this stage) as generally service has been excellent, and I do want to give the new owners, Vodafone, an opportunity to invest into Ihug and hopefully offer some exciting voice and data products. Ihug are saying Telecom is causing many of the problems for them. Without details, one is naturally sceptical of this claim when other ISPs seem okay. Ihug need to communicate with its customers as to what the problems are, and what the timetable for proposed remedies is.

Then we have the Consumer’s Institute complaining about Xtra’s advertising of an “unlimited internet usage at maximum download speeds” package which isn’t.

Team Talk has purchased Citylink, with management taking a minority share. David Ware is a canny operator and I expect this will be all good for Citylink. Citylink have 150 km of fibre in Wellington. I just wish they would lay another 200 metres along Hobson Street to hit my apartment block.

Vodafone has launched a video calling service for just $6 a month, to other Vodafone users. Telecom have been signing up six times as many mobile customers as Vodafone recently, so this is meant to reverse that.

Disney are producing TV episodes for mobile phone viewing. Only in Australia at this stage.

And the wireless broadband spectrum is going to be auctioned off next year, This may be quite critical for future development.

This is why I love being involved in the Internet industry – there’s so much happening with new products and services,