Orcon, under its iServe brand, has launched New Zealand’s first locally-developed cloud computing service for small to medium-sized enterprises.

The new ground breaking product enables businesses to tap in to the benefits of cloud computing and gives them the flexibility of scaling computing requirements up and down ‘on demand’ in a cost-effective way.

Servers and storage can be created and removed instantaneously and customers only pay for the time they are in use says Orcon’s head of emerging business, Charlie Boyd, saving businesses money and time.

Superfast VDSL2 is one of the “premium services” that the Commerce Commission says could justify the 26%+ premium that competitors will have to pay to access Telecom cabinets. But Orcon questions whether there will be any customer demand at the rates being suggested.

In March, Telecom Wholesale chief executive Matt Crockett told NBR and other media that his company plans to introduce VDSL2 services by the end of the year.

Orcon, which recently raised its penalties for those who bust their data cap, has announced that downloads and streams from a series of local sites will no longer count towards a customer’s monthly data allowance.

Internet service provider Orcon is waving goodbye to 23 staff – 16% of its workforce – at the same time as it is doubling charges for residential customers’ excess data usage.

Orcon boss Scott Bartlett says Telecom Chorus’ roadside fibre cabinets offer scorching performance, and he wants his ISP’s gear in all of them - but can’t afford to at rates currently proposed by the Commerce Commission.

The ComCom has made positive noises in return (keep reading).

Mr Bartlett says he is completely sold on the technical need for neighbourhood cabinets, which bring fibre closer from a phone exchange to a closer to a customer’s door.