Telecom New Zealand delivers Netcomm’s MyZone and the telecom turbo wireless router to the NZ market

NetComm Limited (NTC) and Telecom New Zealand Limited (TEL) announce the release of both the NetComm MyZoneâ„¢, a portable 3G WiFi router and the Telecom Turbo Wireless Router one of the fastest 21Mbps/HSPA+ mobile broadband router to connect to Telecom’s XT Mobile Network. These devices are set to deliver unparalleled access, superfast mobile Internet speeds and flexibility to New Zealand homes and businesses nationwide.

Telecom is the first New Zealand telecommunications carrier to supply a 21Mbps WiFi Router to the market. Both the MyZone and Telecom Turbo Wireless Router were developed in response to the trend towards mobile broadband connectivity.

Telecom Turbo Wireless Router will allow Telecom’s consumer and business customers to establish a wireless local area network for up to 16 WiFi, four wired and two USB 2.0 devices to connect and share multiple: notebooks, desktop PCs, USB printers and mass storage units.

The sleek credit card sized MyZonegives users the capability to simultaneously connect up to six wireless devices including: notebooks, tablets, cameras and gaming consoles to a single mobile broadband account from anywhere on the XT network nationwide. The device combines a 3G modem router, WiFi access point and long-life integrated lithium-lion battery into a single pocket sized unit.

“The launch of these products will transform the way the Internet is accessed in New Zealand by delivering widespread mobility and superfast mobile Internet speeds via the XT Network. This further secures Telecom‘s place at the forefront of 3G technological advancement and reflects NetComm’s continued development of solid alliances with leading international providers of mobile broadband  technologies,” says NetComm’s General Manager, Danny Morrison.

“The launch of the Telecom Turbo Wireless Router is a significant milestone. We are proud to have introduced the first device of this kind to the New Zealand market in conjunction with the MyZone which combines the exceptional benefits of the XT Network with the latest in technological innovation. The release of these products reflects our ongoing commitment to providing customers with the most progressive 3G technologies,” says Telecom’s Business Device Manager, Matt Hampel.

The Telecom Turbo Wireless Router is an all-in-one modem router that contains four internal antennas (two WiFi and two 3G antennas) and connects to an external 3G antenna in rural areas. The user friendly MyZone weighs only 75g and connects to the XT Network that supports maximum data through put of 7.2 Mbps in downlink and 5.76 Mbps in uplink. Actual speeds vary and also depend on the number of connections to the routers. Both devices are equipped with advanced network security features.

Telecom Turbo Wireless Router

Available from Telecom stores and dealers – Business customers should contact their Gen-i client manager.

From $199 including GST on selected plans or $499 including GST for the device only.

NetComm MyZone

Available from selected retailers, Telecom stores and dealers – Business customers should contact their Gen-i client manager.

MyZone is $299 including GST by itself or free on selected plans.

Media enquiries to:

Stephanie Stewart, NetComm Communications Manager

Phone: +61 2 9424 2045 or email: stephanies@netcomm.com.au

Visit: www.netcomm.com.au

Emma-Kate Greer, Corporate Communications Manager Retail

Phone: +64 27 655 44 99 or email: emma-kate.greer@telecom.nz

Visit: www.telecom.co.nz

About NetComm Limited  NetComm Limited (ASX: NTC) is a leading developer and manufacturer of broadband technology. With 27 years experience, NetComm develop a wide range of broadband products to facilitate worldwide networks. Its products are uniquely customized for each carrier requirement and designed to deliver reliable communications for consumer, business and industrial applications. With particular expertise in 3G/HSPA technologies, NetComm engineer world first 3G products that support evolving networks and deliver quality data communication products.

Vodafone New Zealand profit plunges

Vodafone New Zealand’s has reported a fall in profit and revenue during the year to the end of March.

According to a report filed with the Companies Office shows that the operating revenue of US$1.59 billion which symbolizes a decrease as compared to US$1.6 billion the last year.

Costs rose to US$1.14 billion from US$1.12 billion, while net profits chop down to US$121.6 million from US$177.7 million.

In August 2009 competitor 2degrees launched its operations, while Telecom launched its XT mobile network in May 2009.

The profit before tax of US$202.5 million compared to US$234.9 million last year.

From its accounts, Vodafone NZ appears to have paid a US$47 million dividend to its UK-based parent, Vodafone PLC.

Vodafone faces challenges and opportunities from the redrawn regulatory landscape. It stands to lose tens of millions from the regulation of mobile termination rates, but could gain just as much if it can win the government’s newly contestable funding for rural broadband and rural telecommunications services.

New Zealand Telecom to get NZ$100m from Alca- Lu as compensation

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: NZ$100 million will be paid by Alcatel-Lucent to New Zealand’s Telecom Corp as a compensation for a series of outages of its high-speed XT mobile network in recent months. However, no comment has come from the concerned party.

According to Telecom Corp’s Paul Reynolds, the company is working with Alcatel-Lucent on any issues in its contract confidentially and privately as it should. The compensation deal has been discussed by Alcatel-Lucent chief executive Ben Verwaayen with Telecom Corp executives when he visited the company last week.

Meanwhile, results of a study into the XT network carried out by industry analysts Analysys Mason has also been released by Telecom Corp last week.

Telecom NZ faces another network crash, CTO resigns

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After the fourth outage of the XT Mobile network, the chief technical officer of Telecom New Zealand submitted his resignation. The supplier of the faulty 3G network, Alcatel-Lucent, has also announced the replacement of its NZ manager Steve Lowe.

Jyoti Mahurkar-Thombre, former general manager of Alcatel Lucent’s Next Generation Networks’ product unit, has been named as new NZ manager by the company.

The XT Mobile network was crippled for up to 12 hours on Monday, its fourth outage in two months.

Telecom NZ’s EBITDA rises almost 2%

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Telecom New Zealand’s EBITDA increased almost 2 percent year-on-year and revenues and net earnings slide in the second quarter ended December 31. With 1.7 percent increase, EBITDA rose to NZD 425 million from NZD 418 million.

However, the company suffered 6.5 percent decline in the revenues sliding to NZD 1.32 billion from NZD 1.41 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Telecom ended the quarter with 467,000 customers for its XT mobile network and by attracting 60,000 new mobile customers in the three-month period, the company ended the quarter with a total of 2.310 million mobile customers. Telecom Retail attracted 64 percent of the new customers during the quarter and held its market share at 57 percent.

TelstraClear may consider returning to Vodafone (New Zealand)

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: TelstraClear is likely to put down its deal with Telecom Mobile and restart selling Vodafone handsets, after being denied the right to resell Telecom’s XT mobile network till 2011.
TelstraClear had signed an agreement to resell its connections to Telecom’s CDMA network in August 2007 after it parted ways with Vodafone over margins and the collapse of TelstraClear’s ill-fated $50 million Unplugged wireless initiative in Tauranga.
But then Telecom later in October announced that it would allow access to resellers to its $574 million XT network until 2011, leaving TelstraClear without a credible offer in the interim.

An industry source says it is not clear whether TelstraClear is in negotiations with Vodafone amount to posturing by the telco, or whether it is seriously considering burying the hatchet.