They look like quite flash routers.

And, by the sounds of it, expensive. From the Herald article, Auckland Grammar has had 137 delivered, costing over $70,000. That's ~$500 each. Wow.

Where do I get mine?

Someone made a killing selling overpriced routers that will probably perform worse than ISP supplied ones

I saw a pic of someone holding a multi-antenna (looked like a gaming modem) device in their hand as the pic for an article on this debacle. 

I have to admit, it's likely got nothing to do with the story, though. 

Handsomedan:

 

I saw a pic of someone holding a multi-antenna (looked like a gaming modem) device in their hand as the pic for an article on this debacle. 

 

I have to admit, it's likely got nothing to do with the story, though. 

 

Possibly, but if the picture you saw is the same one I saw, it was the principal of Rangitoto College standing with a pile of packages and that one router. I think we can assume the rest of the packages around him were the same things.

Here is the photo from the herald article, and the caption: Rangitoto College principal Patrick Gale has 45 internet routers which have turned up for students who don't need them. Photo / Brett Phibbs

dfnt:

 

Someone made a killing selling overpriced routers that will probably perform worse than ISP supplied ones

 

Govt ...

It was a well intentioned but rushed solution that they very likely had little time to actually research properly.

45 routers to Takapuna Grammar, which I understand is one of the country's biggest schools would represent only a small fraction of the enrolled students. Same at Auckland Grammar (I read about 140) again, small %, whereas I suspect if they surveyed the lower decile schools, the uptake would have been higher.

I guess the schools could trademe them and use the funds for school activities?

sen8or:

 

I guess the schools could trademe them and use the funds for school activities?

 

I'm pretty sure I heard in an interview while it was all happening that the modems remained the property of the Ministry of Education...... as opposed to the schools.....

trig42:

 

Handsomedan:

 

I saw a pic of someone holding a multi-antenna (looked like a gaming modem) device in their hand as the pic for an article on this debacle. 

 

I have to admit, it's likely got nothing to do with the story, though. 

 

 

Possibly, but if the picture you saw is the same one I saw, it was the principal of Rangitoto College standing with a pile of packages and that one router. I think we can assume the rest of the packages around him were the same things.

 

Here is the photo from the herald article, and the caption: Rangitoto College principal Patrick Gale has 45 internet routers which have turned up for students who don't need them. Photo / Brett Phibbs

 

 

 

It wasn't that pic, but it was a similar pic of another (almost identical) situation - modem and unopened packages with person. 

So it was likely another principal from another school in a similar situation. 

I'm curious as to what theyre doing here.... (its more in regards to laptops I think)

"But staff are still changing the licence on each device from the Ministry of Education to the college, which takes 20 to 25 minutes for each one."

Are they effectively "stealing" the devices for the school ? :)

(Its my old college too..... eeep)

so....they cant send it back to the government and have it redistributed? Pretty sure there are students who would need it eventually. It not like the routers have a use by date.

So a poorly managed process (no doubt because of the rush) but not the end of the world. From the article:

"Modems not required can be returned and reallocated. If in cases the modem/router wasn't required, it won't be wasted - either another household will use it or we will return it," [Ministry of Education chief digital officer] said.

But I am struggling how these routers/"modems" help the poor with no Internet access??? 

If their house has an Internet connection, why do they need a router from the guvment? 

Call me confused. What am I missing?

linw:

 

But I am struggling how these routers/"modems" help the poor with no Internet access??? 

 

It's nuts.  My SO worked on access for tertiary students, ISPs stepped up and offered cheap cellular modems/plans, setup. Existing resources (laptops etc) allocated, a few new notebooks purchased for <$1k and lent out.
FWIW at that level, about 12% of students had inadequate access or devices - I believe this was about standard across the country.   Adequate device and access doesn't mean "having a connected PC and 2 smart TVs in the home".  You need to find out - if 5 kids need to use the one PC at the same time, then that's inadequate devices.  At tertiary level, students living in cheap flats with no net access is an issue. Surveying to quantify the scale of the problem was not easy.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12338500

Bit of an oopsy coming to light now

Principals have slated an $87 million scheme to provide IT equipment to children during lockdown as a "disaster" and a waste of money.

Oblivian: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12338500

Bit of an oopsy coming to light now.