Stories by Tom Pullar-Strecker

Yellow, Google alliance possible

Yellow, publisher of the Yellow Pages, is expected to announce this week whether it will forge a closer alliance with Google in the online advertising market.

Joyce: Funding Pacific cable not a priority

Communications Minister Steven Joyce has responded coolly to a suggestion to help fund a US$400 million (NZ$520m) communications cable that Pacific Fibre wants to lay between Australasia and the United States.

Datacom customers kicked off the cloud

The reputation of cloud-based computing services may have suffered a setback following an outage at Datacom, one of New Zealand's largest information technology service providers.

Renaissance stores to sell own 'iPad'

Renaissance, which is likely to be renamed YooBee, plans to develop a range of computer devices, including its own-branded tablet computers that could compete with Apple's iPad, which it will sell through a new chain of concept stores.
The NZX-listed company has engaged leading brand specialist Brian Richards, whose clients include Icebreaker and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, to make over its image. Chief executive Richard Webb says it will test the YooBee brand with its new offerings before considering a name change for Renaissance in 10 to 12 months.

Joyce fighting to keep Telecom letter off record

Communications Minister Steven Joyce is seeking to prevent the release of a letter from Telecom chief executive Paul Reynolds before the finalisation of the Government's ultrafast broadband investment initiative as well as briefings from officials on how he should respond.
Making the case for their non-release to Ombudsman David McGee, Mr Joyce appeared to hint at a game of cat and mouse between the Government and Telecom before the release by the Economic Development Ministry of the formal invitation to participate in the ultrafast broadband initiative in October.
Mr Joyce said the June and August briefings contained "suggestions about how I ought to relate to Paul Reynolds, and the messages that I may wish to give".
The company would be either a partner for the Government or a competitor, he said. "Telecom will consider itself better able to exploit its unique position in negotiations the better informed it is about Government views of its proposals, or the Government's approach to negotiations," he said.
"The briefings contain a discussion of Government views of Telecom's proposal, and also discuss views of interactions with Telecom to date. If Telecom were in receipt of this information it would provide it with an informational advantage over other prospective bidders.
"It would also provide Telecom with an advantage over the Government as the Government's attitudes towards Telecom, and intended negotiation approach would have been partially exposed."
Mr Joyce said the material could also affect the behaviour of other UFB bidders.
A draft ruling by Mr McGee suggests the ministry's advice may remain confidential. However, no decision has been made on ordering the release of Dr Reynolds' letter, entitled "Next Steps Engagement with Telecom". It is understood Mr Joyce was advised to respond to the letter by phone. The Dominion Post sought the release of the advice in September and filed a complaint with the Ombudsman in November.
Mr McGee says it is clear the briefings relate directly to the Government's proposal regarding the ultrafast broadband investment initiative "and one which it is currently negotiating on", so is capable of "prejudicing the Government's negotiations".
The newspaper is continuing to make the case for the release of the advice, on the basis that the UFB negotiations have been put in the hands of an independent entity, Crown Fibre Holdings, and so should not be prejudiced by the ministerial briefings.
Labour communications spokeswoman Clare Curran last week stepped up her criticism of the UFB tender process. "Steven Joyce publicly confirmed that the Crown would be prepared to invest alongside Chorus, and as part of Chorus, in new fibre infrastructure as long as it was clearly delineated. There are now too many questions being asked about the role that Telecom will play and whether other bidders have been wasting their time."

Upgrade to boost rural web speeds

The Government expects Telecom, electricity lines companies and possibly community organisations to express interest in partnering with it for a $300 million upgrade to rural broadband.

OECD economist praises broadband plan

A bit unusual, but unusually good — that is how Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development economist Taylor Reynolds labels the Government's $1.5 billion plan to wire up three-quarters of homes and businesses with fibre-optic cable.

Power backs deletion of software patents

Commerce Minister Simon Power says the Government will back changes proposed by a select committee that will mean computer software can no longer be patented.

Vodafone billing back in Kiwi hands

Vodafone says it has repatriated its billing and customer management systems to New Zealand, three years after merging them with those of Vodafone Australia in a problem-plagued trans-Tasman project rumoured to have cost at least $300 million.

High Court deals Telecom a double whammy

Telecom may have to pay back millions of dollars it received from rival telecommunications companies, including Vodafone, after receiving a double whammy from the High Court at Wellington.

Snapper still in with a chance for Auckland transport smartcard

Snapper could yet win the race to introduce a smartcard ticketing system in Auckland, but there could be a catch for the Infratil subsidiary, which may have to replace the Snapper cards it has issued in Wellington if it wants Snapper to be a seamless national payment system.

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