For a while now, I have been talking about the need for New Zealand to improve its internet infrastructure (Read broadband speeds) to allow for a more distributed possibility to working.
In my last corporate job, the talk was of about Telecommuting, or allowing staff to work from home using the internet as a way of accessing corporate networks.
This was to be seen as a caring employer and I agree that a remote workforce is, in some cases, a good thing.
In my current role as a web designer, I work from home and have a lot of interation with people over the internet.
An increase in broadband speed is going to have a huge effect on my ability to increase productivity.
Recent moves to remotely hosted applications like Google Docs, Xero and others, shows a path to centrally located services and a reliance of good, robust, fast internet infrastructure.
This article discusses \”Cloud Computing\” and why we may miss the boat (or be dragged along behind) if we don\’t up our broadband capacity soon.
Rod Drury says
\”What that\’s going to mean is that rather than storing your photos and video locally on your PC, these devices are going to make it compelling to put your stuff up on the web, which doesn\’t work in a country with broadband data caps,\”
I think this advance needs to happen in a hurry, the three main Telcos, Telecom (Xtra), Telstraclear and Vodafone have told the Government they don\’t want the $1.5 billion dollars worth of investment into a fibre optic high speed network, it looks like they are not willing to lose their ownership of the network.
However, the government needs to take a lead and push through with the rollout as it is essential to the long term health of the economy in New Zealand.
Just dont forget us small town folk 🙂