NZ Comms delayed launch - now late 2009?

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sbiddle

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#24733 1-Aug-2008 08:03

From Business Day today

Mobile start-up company NZ Communications has delayed the highly anticipated launch of its network until late next year after initially targeting October, industry sources say.
It is understood the firm has built only 50 cell towers 400 short of what it needs to launch. Chairman Bill Osbourne did not reply to queries from the Independent.

I know their Wgtn rollout has been moving along very slowly but have spotted a handful of sites down here and as I mentioned in my blog post a few days ago they have applied for consent to put a site in Maungaraki - a suburb overlooked by both Vodafone and Telecom that has terrible mobile coverage.

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#153192 1-Aug-2008 08:20

Not surprised knowing their history so far. How many years behind are they now ?? 6??

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#153210 1-Aug-2008 09:10

Perhaps this is related?

TinyTim

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#153214 1-Aug-2008 09:26

I see they're actually after three sites in the Hutt Valley area - also Stokes Valley and Wainui: http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/News-and-Notices/Public-Notices/New-Telecommunication-Network-Site-Licences/.

It goes to show how difficult it is to build a network if you don't already have sites and are finding it difficult to co-locate. I assume this is the problem, seeing as the network is already running in places.

JoeBloggs

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#153344 1-Aug-2008 15:23

Well s%*#

sbiddle

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#153347 1-Aug-2008 15:29

I've been told by a source today that this story may not be entirely true.

There certainly are delays with the network build but they don't need their network built out fully before they can launch. We know that they have their switching gear live (since people have succesfully made calls while roaming) and remember that NZ Comms have signed a roaming agreement with Vodafone which means that they could potentially launch at any time but traffic that is on their own network obviously costs them a lot less.

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#153356 1-Aug-2008 15:54

Perhaps they're waiting for the final co-location "standard terms determination" from the Commerce Commission, due in November, so they can start sharing sites.

sbiddle

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#153358 1-Aug-2008 15:59

TinyTim: Perhaps they're waiting for the final co-location "standard terms determination" from the Commerce Commission, due in November, so they can start sharing sites.

The only issue with this is that many sites can't be shared - if you look at the design of many new Vodafone 3G infill sites (and some new Telecom masts) they are cylinderical masts that only have room for 3 panels. They simply aren't designed for mounting additional panels. Vodafone have also made a lot more use of existing structures (such as buildings) for their sites than Telecom so there is no mast to share, it's a matter of negotiating access with the building owner.

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#153361 1-Aug-2008 16:03

PS don't they need a certain level of coverage with their own network before they can use domestic roaming? Or am I thinking of something else?

JoeBloggs

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#153419 1-Aug-2008 19:42

I believe I read somewhere here that they had to have 10% of their mobile network operational before the CC would allow them to resell Vodafone's network space. By this article it states that they only have 50 of a required 450 (equal to 10% coverage?) sites active. That seems pathetic after 8 years.

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#153420 1-Aug-2008 19:46

JoeBloggs: That seems pathetic after 8 years.

But 7 1/2 of those years were wasted with the idiots from Econet promising the earth and delivering nothing..

timestyles

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#153850 3-Aug-2008 18:59

Wasn't the first installation of cellphone towers in Auckland 3 years ago? By the time they get to work, they could well be obsolete.

sbiddle

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#153854 3-Aug-2008 19:15

timestyles: Wasn't the first installation of cellphone towers in Auckland 3 years ago? By the time they get to work, they could well be obsolete.

No - nothing was even started until last year. Tex Edwards kept talking about a trial network and Econet being so impatient they were airfreighting equipment to NZ because they couldn't wait for seafreight but it was all just talk.

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#154378 5-Aug-2008 16:46

Seriously I have no hopes from this company. I am expecting in about 2 years time that a press release will be released stating "We have gone bankrupt, therefore we are closing down all our operations".

Do whatever you want to do man.

davide

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#154387 5-Aug-2008 17:03

This based on what, billgates?

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#154416 5-Aug-2008 18:35

davide: This based on what, billgates?

I have been hearing about them since early 2003, even saw an interview on TV3 with John Campbell last year or year before that I think but it just keeps getting delayed. Though Sbiddle mentioned that new managment is doing something better/different than the old Econet people. I think because it's taking too long to put up and start a new network, it's probabily taking a heavy toll on their finances due to delays. I am no economist, but I guess this is what happens when things get delayed by quite a years, generally it gets scrapped all together.

Do whatever you want to do man.

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