Telecommunications

Gen-i chief executive Chris Quin has had his hands full recently as acting head of Telecom following the recent departure of Paul Reynolds. With Simon Moutter now at the helm of Telecom, Mr Quin talks to business editor Dene Mackenzie about Gen-i and its place in the scheme of things.

For the past 10 years, Australian telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has raised questions regarding the position of TelstraClear in the New Zealand market. With news this week that Vodafone NZ may be interested in buying the telco, Mr Budde may have his answers. Business editor Dene Mackenzie reports.

The Government is expected to save around $60 million over the next five years on mobile voice and data after signing all-of-government procurement contracts, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

Telecommunications utility company Chorus, and the Government, have been accused of putting profit before people as they begin the roll-out of ultrafast broadband (UFB) in Dunedin.

Shares in recently-separated Telecom and Chorus dominated trade in a relatively quiet day on the NZX yesterday, with no particular reason obvious for the interest in either company.

New entrants to the mobile telecommunications market have a "golden opportunity" to win market share on the back of a decision to cut fees, Massey University brand loyalty specialist Prof Malcolm Wright says.

Lower cellphone charges have come a step closer with a Commerce Commission recommendation that the Government force companies to drop their rates for cross-network calls.

The lack of mobile phone coverage from Telecom's XT network continued to frustrate thousands of people yesterday as services remained interrupted in Queenstown, Invercargill, Timaru and parts of Dunedin.

The Dunedin City Council says an ultra-fast broadband network, dedicated to advanced research in New Zealand, is "underutilised" and should be opened up to the public.