John Key has announced today that National is promising a massive injection of funds into New Zealand’s telecommunications industry, to the tune of 1.5 Billion.
This is very welcome news. Internet in NZ is decrepit, a result of years of commercial monopolization of Telecom, who saw no commercial desire to upgrade services — while still making New Zealanders pay through the nose for substandard internet. Hopefully with this new pledge from National, things may change in the fledging NZ internet industry.
And its about time too, even under the sodden arms of Telecom a viable and vibrant market for internet service provision has begun in New Zealand. As well as there being a larger amount of companies offering networking services — and at more competitive prices thanks to David Cunliffe’s unbundling policy — there has been a plethora of companies beginning who cater to internet users, both in software, hardware and internet communications protocols, such a VoIP.
New Zealand has always had a pioneering spirit when it comes to technology, both in hardware and software. Just look at the success of David Harris — the creator the famous Pegasus Mail client, a humble programmer from Dunedin.
Economic development is inherently married with technological advancement. The better support we have for telecommunications in this country, and the better maintained, efficable and competitive the market — the better we are off as individuals, and as a national economy.
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