telecommunications

Categories under telecommunications

  • No categories

Chorus insider trading?

Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, December 17th, 2013 - 35 comments

The Government appears to be softening us up for a financial contribution to Chorus in the realm of $250 million so that it can do what it has a contractual obligation to do anyway.  And TUANZ thinks that some insider trading is going on with Chorus’s shares.

Chorus sings a Dirge

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, December 4th, 2013 - 36 comments

I welcomed Amy Adams independent review of Chorus’s financial claims in response to Chorus’s sad song. Not something I should say in a left leaning site but it does show an increasing awareness from government of big business endeavours to manipulate NZ to their advantage. I felt that the Minister had a gun to her […]

Nat government treachery destroys public broadcasting

Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, November 21st, 2013 - 30 comments

Key’s government has destroyed the weak attempts by Labour to enable some public service broadcasting on Freeview.  The NActs have employed ideologically-driven, irrational, bad faith, underhand, agreement-breaking moves to protect commercial monopoly. The CBB is campaigning for non-commercial TV channels.

Everything you wanted to know about the Chorus deal …

Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, November 6th, 2013 - 108 comments

The Chorus fibre roll out deal with the Government is one of those issues that promises to embarrass the Government deeply, more deeply than us lefties may think.  Because amongst the ranks of this Government’s supporters are those who hold close to principles.  They not be our principles but nevertheless from the view of the right are just as if not more important than ours.  One of the most important is the sanctity of the market.  This is why some on the right are distraught at the generosity being shown to one of our largest corporates.

Does Key want to nationalise Chorus Soviet style?

Written By: - Date published: 2:46 pm, November 5th, 2013 - 62 comments

The Commerce Commission has now decided that there should be a significant reduction in broadband costs although not as much as previously proposed.  Chorus has responded by saying that it may not be able to complete the fibre outlay.   John Key is suggesting that Chorus could be nationalised.  And the right wing are in revolt.  How has National been able to muck this issue up so badly?

“A Tale of two countries” – NZ/Aotearoa

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, November 3rd, 2013 - 81 comments

Yesterday David Cunliffe told a Tale of Two New Zealands.  Today 2 NZ Herald articles show where NZ has gone wrong with its fractured and increasingly unequal society: our ailing state supported TVNZ; a high-living property-buying elite.  Will Cunliffe talk about state housing today?

NSA: ‘full spectrum dominance’

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, October 28th, 2013 - 23 comments

Latest revelations about the NSA’s international surveillance show it is about “full spectrum dominance” of military, economic, business and political activities. The TICS Bill is the latest part of Key’s changes to NZ’s surveillance agencies, further enabling the US government dominance via NSA, especially in business & politics.

NZ’s struggling screen industry

Written By: - Date published: 9:51 am, October 24th, 2013 - 117 comments

The NZ screen industry is in a precarious state, unable to compete with incentives in other countries to attract the crums from Hollywood productions, impacted by the currency high dollar rate.  Innovative ideas needed for an independent NZ industry, linked with public broadcasting TV & online viewing. [Updated: Maori TV & Barry Barclay]

Discourage the pantie sniffers

Written By: - Date published: 9:01 pm, October 13th, 2013 - 30 comments

It isn’t that hard to get around the prurient arsehole peekers that populate the NSA and the kiwi puppets – John Key being a prime example. Encrypt, falsify your “metadata”, and send lots of crap purely so they have no idea what to look at. Hell – even the NZ Herald gets it these days as in an anonymously published article in the weekend rag…

The Guardian on Dotcom, GCSB, Key & US power

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, October 10th, 2013 - 21 comments

An article in today’s UK Guardian highlights the role of Key’s, US-supporting, government in the GCSB, Dotcom, surveillance saga (and TPP). It is chilling & shows why we need to continue to campaign against NZ’s surveillance state legislation and for TPPA transparency.

Freeview, SkyTV & IT

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, October 9th, 2013 - 88 comments

NZ’s broadcasting and digital communications policies, provisions and regulations do not provide the capability for widespread democratic engagement. Cunliffe has twigged that broadcasting and digital communications policies need to be inter-linked in the 21st century context.  NZ’s policies, provisions & regulations on both need major restructuring.

Cunliffe’s not so shabby question: broadband costs

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, September 18th, 2013 - 41 comments

The MSM largely reported on Cunliffe stumbling over the word Chorus in his first question yesterday to PM Key.  But Key’s answers and later replies to the media, indicate corporate-friendly, cronyist manipulations and dodgy phone advice. [Update: Coalition for Fair Internet Pricing]

John Key’s anti-democratic government

Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, September 17th, 2013 - 48 comments

John Key tries to smear the winner of Labour’s democratic leadership contest as “far left”, while his government continues in its anti-democratic, plutocratic ways: sale of Meridian to avoid referendum; Joyce’s Broadband pricing “arm twisting”.

Axe the Copper Tax

Written By: - Date published: 12:38 pm, September 12th, 2013 - 39 comments

social welfare not corporate welfareA coalition of organisations as diverse as InternetNZ, TUANZ, a number of corporates, Unite Union and even Kiwiblog are starting a campaign to oppose Government plans to stop the cost of copper broadband connections to retail users being reduced to the fair price determined by the Commerce Commission so that Chorus can recover unbudgeted costs on the fibre rollout.

The bankster memorandum

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, September 9th, 2013 - 160 comments

John Key honed his skills as a speculative banker. As PM, this casino capitalist has undermined democracy, & promoted international corporate interests, while beneficiaries & workers are brutalised, inequalities enhanced and NZ’s economy & sovereignty damaged.  Does one Labour leader contender have his number measure?

The momentum of expectation….

Written By: - Date published: 12:20 pm, August 26th, 2013 - 115 comments

[Update] Surrounded by women, especially Pasifika women, Cunliffe announced he is standing for Labour leader. Iain Lees Galloway and Nanaia Mahuta signed the nomination forms.  Report from New Lynn:  photos added – Cunliffe answers some questions.

Why I electorate vote Cunliffe: op ed

Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, August 23rd, 2013 - 138 comments

I wasn’t going to express my opinion on the upcoming Labour leadership selection process. However, the usual right leaning MSM hacks seem to have been following the current Labour caucus leadership in naming Robertson as the frontrunner. This is my op ed testimony for my frontrunner, the MP for my electorate: Cunliffe.

Bad law making – GCSB Bill

Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, August 21st, 2013 - 29 comments

Grant Robertson & David Cunliffe explain how the GCSB Bill is bad law (especially section 8 & related sections). It doesn’t provide adequate oversight or safeguards against the wholesale spying on New Zealanders. A clarifying statement from the PM is not good law. Andrea Vance demystifies the Bill.

John Key – in contempt

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 pm, August 12th, 2013 - 71 comments

John Key shows contempt for New Zealanders and democracy in refusing to talk about the GCSB Bill and saying New Zealanders care more about snapper quotas. Campbell Live discovers some Kiwis are well informed and have views on the GCSB Bill.

Hypocrisy in the House: GCSB Bill

Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, August 7th, 2013 - 46 comments

The debates during last night’s filibuster if the GCSB amendment Bill exposed the hypocrisy of John Key, and hangers on Peter Dunne and John Banks: as seen in  the videos of the speeches by Goff, Cunliffe and Peters.

Schadenfreude

Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, August 5th, 2013 - 59 comments

Schadenfreude.

First they came for……………….

John Key’s big movie love

Written By: - Date published: 12:44 pm, August 2nd, 2013 - 10 comments

A recent  report claims there is little economic benefit from tax payer funding for big overseas movies. Key’s damaging love of big Hollywood corporates is seen in the complex of Hobbit laws, intellectual copyright, secret TPP negotiations, & the Kim Dotcom-GCSB-Vance saga.

Waking up the fourth estate

Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, August 1st, 2013 - 39 comments

Is this what it takes to wake up the fourth estate so they truly fulfill their role to speak truth to power?  Andrea Vance is mad as hell about the “hacking” of her phone records.  Press freedom and all our democratic rights are in danger.  Stop the GCSB Bill!

Democracy needs public service (Freeview)TV

Written By: - Date published: 4:04 pm, July 29th, 2013 - 31 comments

TVNZ U (youth, entertainment Freeview channel) failed commercially & is being shut down.  There is space on Freeview for a public service channel: needed to build democracy. The Coalition for Better Broadcasting may be the entity to lead the way?

Turing – so much more …

Written By: - Date published: 4:26 pm, July 23rd, 2013 - 52 comments

Alan Turing may get a pardon from the UK government.  Turing made major contributions to the development of computing and maths, but was also subjected to damaging surveillance, suspicion and dehumanisation because of his sexuality.  Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?  How to promote digital democracy?

Traitor or whistleblower?

Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, July 13th, 2013 - 149 comments

Edward Snowden, now applying for temporary asylum in Russia, has been labeled both as traitor and as whistleblower. Is it a breach of trust to expose state use of surveillance to spy on citizens, especially if it is on behalf of powerful multinational corporations?

GCSB – independent inquiry needed

Written By: - Date published: 12:35 pm, July 10th, 2013 - 32 comments

A full, independent inquiry of the GCSB is needed , as argued by the Green & Labour Parties, and politics lecturer Damien Rogers.  NZ First & Dunne – don’t support Key’s dodgy law changes! Key is masking political motives with spin and secrecy. [update]  Campbell Live tonight – must see viewing.

Snowden on US-NZ intelligence

Written By: - Date published: 9:51 pm, July 8th, 2013 - 88 comments

Just up on Stuff, an article about Edward Snowden making links between US and NZ intelligence services, as well as between other “5 Eyes” participants. Does he have specific evidence that the system “insulates” political leaders from backlash?  And Key?

The big issues: GCSB, Dotcom

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, July 5th, 2013 - 61 comments

Bill English diverts attention from questions about Key’s prior knowledge of Dotcom, saying it is not a BIG ISSUE.   Trustworthiness, undermining democracy, misuse of GCSB surveillance in collaboration with foreign powers, blurring commercial cyber-security with national security – just some of the BIG ISSUES covered in the GCSB hearings.

GCSB Bill scaring off investors

Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, July 4th, 2013 - 103 comments

One of National’s favourite lines of attack on any significant lefty policy is that it will “scare off investors”. So how now do they respond to Google’s threat that global telecommunications companies may well abandon New Zealand because of the compliance costs of the new GCSB legislation?

John Key’s disdain for democracy

Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, July 3rd, 2013 - 43 comments

Norman criticises John Key for showing complete disdain for democracy at yesterday’s public hearing on the GCSB Bill.  Kim Dotcom is expected to provide a challenge today. Paul Buchanan is critical and argues for a full inquiry.  Gordon Campbell proposes some questions. [update]: TV3 Livestream 3.30 pm [update] Dotcom -Key knew about him prior to GCSB spying on him TV3.