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The year we filled in the telecommunications gaps
In the first part of this
week's technology segment on RNZ's Nine to Noon show I
talk with Kathryn Ryan about some of the big trends in tech
this year, starting with plugging gaps in broadband
coverage, the work done by the Rural
Connectivity Group and extending the 5G
network.
The most recent update from MBIE was in September. At the time the UFB network reached 85 percent of the population.By March 2022 will reach 87 percent of NZ.
As we get towards the end of the build the rate of filling in those gaps drops. We’ll see why later.
The Rural Connectivity Group built close to 300 mobile towers. A lot of the work was done while the country was in lockdown.
The last announcement was in September when it reached 272 towers.
It's also been a year regulators have started talking about - but not exactly moving on - how to rein in big tech and strengthen privacy provisions.
It’s mainly, but not exclusively about Facebook.Big tech companies are making moves to head off regulatory action… after all what do you think Facebook changing its name to Meta was really about?
But will it matter, if a prediction about how countries like China and Russia are keen to crack encryption through quantum computing is realised?
Russia and China are busy collecting all the encrypted data they can get their hands on.Advertisement - scroll to continue readingThey think there will be soon be breakthroughs in quantum computing that will let them read all that top secret material.
"Tech consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton has warned that China will soon plan the theft of high value data, so it can decrypt it once quantum computers break classical encryption.
And then there is the business that used Zoom to fire 900 employees. Is that the best way of using the technology?
The worst thing about this story is the tech bro doing the sacking made himself the victim of the story during the call.“If you’re on this call you’re part of the unlucky group being laid off,” said Vishal Garg, chief executive of mortgage firm Better.com, on the call, later uploaded to social media.
The year we filled in the telecommunications gaps was first posted at billbennett.co.nz.
Bill Bennett
Freelance journalist.
Auckland-based Bill Bennett writes technology and business stories that are directly relevant to New Zealand readers.
His emphasis is on telecommunications, but he also covers other aspects of technology and business. You can find his features in the New Zealand Herald and hear him regularly on RNZ Nine to Noon and the NZ Tech Podcast.
Bennett's The Download Weekly newsletter is published every Friday. You can sign up for it here.
If you want to support his work, you can make a donation to his PressPatron account.
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