Vodafone rural coverage "sub-optimal" -Brislen
Boom! And just like that, Vodafone's Paul Brislen falls into Tuanz mode.
Erstwhile Vodafone corporate communications supremo Paul Brislen has wasted no time slipping into Tuanz mode.
As the new boss of the corporate and consumer lobby group Telecommunications Users Association, Mr Brislen blogged on government's $300 million rural broadband initiative (RBI) today.
The RBI tender sees a combined Telecom-Vodafone bid squaring off against a consortium consisting of Kordia (advised by ex-Tuanz chief Ernie Newman), FX Networks and - gulp - Woosh, aka the OpenGate alliance (a third, quixotic bid, from mysterious iwi alliance iwi alliance called Torotoro Waea, is also in the running - though given FX Networks is its hardware partner, and Kordia has committed to its principles it essentially forms an extension of OpenGate).
Both consortia have put forward bids that include a 4G network to be built by Nokia-Siemens, making it the first confirmed winner in the whole deal.
Anyway.
In musing over events today, Mr Brislen offers:
"Let’s look at that baggage – Vodafone’s coverage in the rural sector has always been less than optimal. The company says it covers 97% of where New Zealanders live work and play – but that’s people, not geography and in rural and remote areas you can leave the township and immediately lose coverage."
Zoiks.
That's no good.
Luckily, we have Mr Brislen on their case, keeping an eye on things to make sure none of this malfeasance spills over into the Telecom/Vodafone RBI bid.
Chris Keall
Fri, 04 Feb 2011
Fri, 04 Feb 2011
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Vodafone rural coverage "sub-optimal" -Brislen
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