Boom times for broadband
As I write this, Telecom is in the middle of major push to secure more broadband customers in both the household and SME sectors. There are number of other broadband initiatives being rolled out around the country, and my three teenage children have been on at me for months to get broadband service hooked up to our house. Until now I’ve had reasonable excuse in that we’ve been renting – but this is all about to change now that we have found property (unfortunately for my internet addicted son it wasn’t within line of sight of the Sky Tower, which would have meant convenient wireless broadband access).
It seems New Zealand has hunger for download speed – for an increasing number of businesses and households it’s not case of ‘whether’ they’ll leap on the broadband wagon – but rather ‘when’.
New Zealand has lagged behind overseas countries, particularly the US, when it comes to broadband service uptake, but with price points trending downwards the number of connections is expected to go up significantly.
At least we’ll be saved the frustration of not being able to contact people on landlines because they’re being hogged by online family members (is this what Alexander Graham Bell had in mind for his telephone? I think not!)
Wonderful wireless
Just as broadband is now viewed as valuable business tool, so too is wireless technology finally living up to past hype with issues surrounding availability, speed, cost, applications and security laid to rest.
The latest issue of Apropos, the e-newsletter of TeleConsultants NZ, sums up recent wireless developments. Cellular 3G systems will soon provide faster data speeds with new offerings from telcos; high-speed versions of Wi-Fi are on their way (including the yet-to-be-ratified 802.11h standard which will dynamically control how multiple access points in close proximity work together collaboratively to reduce interference); and Wi-Max (IEEE 802.16) is emerging as high speed “last mile” solution for voice and data.
In the foreseeable future number of wireless technologies will co-exist in the marketplace, with no particular one dominating.
Wireless technology is certainly catching on fast with Wi-Fi handheld barcode scanners being deployed across wide range of industry. There is roaming access for business executives and sales staff (utilising laptops with cellular cards and converged PDA devices); Wi-Fi point-to-point links, electricity meter reading, and wireless job dispatch. Business owners soon appreciate that costs are easily outweighed by efficiencies gained.
Putting the finger on security
PC and laptop users who have difficulty memorising passwords will be pleased to learn of new Biometric Password Manager, put out by American Power Conversion (APC). This personal fingerprint scanner is convenient and secure way to access password-protected sites – there’s no need to remember or write down passwords.
The fingerprint scanner comes with USB cable, software (which stores an unlimited number of login names and passwords), and is compatible with all versions of Windows back to and including 98. You’ll also be pleased to know that the device isn’t affected by dry, worn, calloused, dirty or oily skin.
Glenn Baker is regular contributor to Management.
Email: [email protected]
