UFB complaints increase

Complaints about ultrafast broadband installations are on the rise in New Zealand, according to the latest report from the Telecommunications Dispute Resolutions.

The TDR, an industry body comprising a set of some 95% of the nation’s telco providers by revenue, which handles complaints for the sector, recorded 666 complaints and enquiries in the January to March quarter. Billing issues remained the largest source of complaints at 39% or 265 complaints/enquiries, with disputed charges the greatest proportion of billing complains.

Fibre installations, meanwhile, prompted 48 complaints/enquiries, or 7.2% of overall issues raised, behind customer service, faults and contracts – with TDR noting that while UFB installation complaints are on the rise, they “remain in proportion to the rise of installations across New Zealand.”

Vocus and Trustpower have continued to top the complaints list for New Zealand telcos for the Jan-Mar 2018 quarter, with 2.7 and 2.5 complaints per 10, 000 connections, respectively.  Both firms recorded a slight increase in complaints for the quarter.

Spark recorded just 0.5 complaints and enquiries per 10,000 connections, with 2degrees logging 0.7, and Vodafone 1.0 per 10,000.

Fortinet network security for Kiwi schools

New Zealand’s schools are to receive “more robust protection against online threats” with a new upgrade to the Network for Learning managed network, as usage across the network has soared to hit more than 12 petabytes in the first two terms.

The upgrade will see schools transitioning to a combined enterprise-grade firewall and internet filtering service from Fortinet. Improved internet filtering tools, modifiable to suit individual classes and students, and smart reporting will also be part of the upgrade, along with offerings to enable schools to manage attempts to bypass their internet filtering with virtual private networks.

Network for Learning (N4L) is a crown company whose network connects more than 2,400 schools across New Zealand.

The network has seen data usage almost double year-on-year. N4L said more than 374 million websites and 118.000 virus and malware threats have been blocked across the managed network in the first two terms this year.

Hawera High School in Taranaki is one school recently affected by ransomware, with student work and teaching resources among the files encrypted – with a demand of US$5,000 in bitcoin made for the return of the data. The school had opted out of N4L’s current security offering…

Vodafone serves up fixed wireless as fibre bridge

Vodafone New Zealand is offering a fixed wireless broadband service, targeting those customers waiting for fibre to be installed.

The Ultimate Home Fibre plan will provide customers with a mobile broadband connection via Vodafone’s 4G/3G network while they wait for a fibre connection.

The telco said its new service will make it easier for people to switch to fibre. “Our customers tell us they are frustrated by installation wait times, while others say they are putting off a move to fibre because they simply don’t want to be disconnected while they wait,” added Vodafone consumer director Matt Williams.

Vodafone claims ‘tens of thousands’ of customers across all providers are waiting for fibre, which is installed by Chorus and other local fibre companies.