Broadband investment and cloud to boost innovation, GDP: Quin

Fast broadband and cloud computing could lay the platform for greater innovation through the export of IP and services, says Gen-i’s Australasian CEO Chris Quin.

This could in turn lead to a boost in New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP), he says, but cautions investment in fibre-based communications infrastructure won’t be enough.

“I firmly believe that exporting intellectual property represents the best opportunity for New Zealand to grow its GDP,” says Quin. “This will enable us to earn valuable export revenues from our unique expertise and knowledge.

“It is what we do with the fibre that will earn us GDP. It is the services, expertise and ideas – the intellectual property – that we deliver over the fibre that counts.”

The combination of ultra-fast connectivity and cloud computing will facilitate the export of local knowledge, he adds.

“Cloud-based platforms will be the marketplaces of the future where kiwi expertise can be shared with the world on an as-a-service basis.”

Gen-i itself has been developing a strategy focusing on the delivery of repeatable and scalable ICT services delivered through a utility model.

However, it says it will still offer system integration that meets more complex customer needs.

“We’ll work closely with [clients] to develop solutions based on a hybrid of our utility services and the strategic IT assets they hold as a competitive advantage,” says Quin.

In April the company launched its ReadyCloud server, and plans to soon offer two more infrastructure as-a-service offerings – ReadyCloud Backup and ReadyCloud Storage.

Quin was speaking at the 11th Annual Telecommunications & ICT Summit (Tel.Con11) in Auckland today.