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News

  • No free wi-fi in Auckland for World Cup

    Wellington is getting free internet wireless for the Rugby World Cup – but in Auckland, hosting the finals, it will cost users.
    In Wellington, from December, anyone with an internet-capable smart phone, iPad or laptop computer will be able to connect free of charge between Queens Wharf and Te Papa within range of a waterfront server in the NZX building.
    The initiative is the brainchild of Trade Me and is being paid for by the online auction company, in association with the council.
    Trade Me head of operations Mike O'Donnell said the move was a New Zealand first.
    A proposal to the Auckland City Council, quietly announced on their website, calls for a "low-cost model for comprehensive expansion has been developed by Auckland City Council and could be in place in time for Rugby World Cup visitors".
    Auckland City wants a partnership with a network provider and a retail service provider to extend wireless broadband services in key zones across the city on a "casual pay as you go basis".
    The proposal would achieve coverage in 732 sites in 62 locations compared to the 150 nodes currently in place.
    Current zones covered are Viaduct Basin, Westhaven, Aotea Square, Karangahape Road, Ponsonby Road, Parnell Rise, Newmarket, Remuera Road and Albert Park. Services are also delivered in cafes and restaurants within these zones.
    The plan calls for a $3 per hour cost, up to 60 megabytes, a $6.50 per day for 160 megabytes or a weekly $30 per week for 1.2 gigabytes.
    A report to the city council's City Development Committee, which approved the proposal in principle, said the tariffs compared favourably with hotels and serviced apartments (average $29 per day) and expensive cellular network services.
    Significant revenue streams would offset costs over time.
    "The potential benefits for the city, visitors and businesses are enormous," said Councillor Aaron Bhatnagar, committee chairperson.
    "They could contribute significantly to economic growth and help establish the region as a major events destination."
    With the council's current service, all revenue flows to private sector partners. Under the proposed expanded service, council will look to develop a profit sharing arrangement with a retail partner.
    The committee agreed to provide a detailed business case and funding model to the Auckland Council for approval and to instigate a formal tender process.
    *Trade Me is owned by Fairfax, publisher of Computerworld

  • Free wireless access for Wellington's waterfront

    Wellington will have free access to high-speed wireless internet on the waterfront from December.
    And the city council hopes to make free wi-fi a permanent fixture in the central business district in time for next year's Rugby World Cup.
    From December, anyone with an internet-capable smart phone, iPad or laptop computer will be able to connect free of charge between Queens Wharf and Te Papa within range of a waterfront server in the NZX building.
    The initiative is the brainchild of Trade Me and is being paid for by the online auction company, in association with the council.
    Trade Me head of operations Mike O'Donnell said the move was a New Zealand first.
    Between 500 and 1000 waterfront-goers are expected to log on daily, although actual numbers would depend on the weather and waterfront events.
    Users would be logged out automatically after two hours to prevent commercial users pirating the free network, but individuals could then log on again manually.
    Although ordinary data files could be downloaded, "peer-to-peer" file-sharing of larger data files would not be allowed.
    The network was expected to be especially popular during summer and the World Cup.
    Trade Me chief executive Jon Macdonald said the idea was to give back to the city that had given rise to the company's success. "We firmly believe Wellington is the internet capital of New Zealand, and helping people connect to the web in and around the waterfront is a good fit for us."
    The free network's future would be reviewed after a year, depending on its success and uptake.
    Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast said moves were already under way to expand the free wi-fi initiative to the city centre — subject to costs associated with the project. If successful, Wellington would be among the world's first cities to offer residents and visitors free downtown wi-fi access.
    The council was calling for expressions of interest to provide the service permanently around the Golden Mile.
    A council graphic shows the proposed coverage stretches from Westpac Stadium to the Embassy end of Courtenay Place.
    Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perks said the initiative would make it easier for visitors to make the most of the city and tell others about it.
    "Being able to access free wi-fi on the waterfront will mean our visitors can not only freely access information about where to go and what to do in the city, they can post photos of the picturesque harbour, public art and other attractions to their friends, families and digital networks throughout the world."

  • Trade Me licensing case has origins in 2008 campaign

    Shaahil Ali, the student who was ordered this week to pay Microsoft $22,176 for selling unlicensed versions of Microsoft products on Trade Me, isn’t the first target of legal action by Microsoft over software piracy in New Zealand.

  • Been there, done that

    Trade Me CEO Jon MacDonald has a new baby son, so he’s after a camera. CEO or not, he’s out there bidding on Trade Me like any other Kiwi. He joined Trade Me in 2003 to manage the technical team. In June 2007 he graduated to general manager, when CEO and founder Sam Morgan took a step back from the company, bought by Fairfax in 2006.

  • Jobs go down, but IT salaries hold

    An analysis of job vacancy ads by Trade Me, released today, shows the New Zealand employment market is continuing to deteriorate, but IT salaries continue to shine.

  • Trade Me founder gets $14m bonus

    Trade Me founder Sam Morgan, already one of the richest men in New Zealand, is getting another $14 million or so bonus from the success of his online auction site.

  • Morgan & Co get extra $45m

    TradeMe founder Sam Morgan, and his fellow early investors in the internet auction site, have received a further $45.2 million for the business from Fairfax Media.

  • Nascent carbon markets offer ICT opportunites

    TradeMe has found there’s money to be earned in facilitating carbon trading, but spokeswoman Christine Turner insists the company (which, like Computerworld NZ, is a Fairfax subsidiary) set up its carbon trading arena primarily to do something about climate change.

  • NZ e-businesses focus on community building

    E-commerce operators are focusing on building communities, delivering social networking functionality to groups as diverse as the creative sector, mothers, financial investors, mobile phone users and many others.

  • Infrastructure innovation on show in awards

    Infrastructure innovation is not always about simplifying the infrastructure. The finalists in Computerworld’s Excellence in Infrastructure Innovation category may not have made their environments less complex but they had made significant wins when it comes to system robustness, time and cost savings.

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