Orcon Genius Set to Change Face of NZ Internet

Media release genius – 1
13 July, 2011

ORCON GENIUS SET TO CHANGE FACE OF NZ INTERNET
Revolutionary new product takes Kiwi homes into the future

Orcon today announces it is introducing a revolutionary new product designed to shake up the telecommunications industry and force down phone and internet costs for New Zealand consumers.

The Orcon Genius will be New Zealand’s first mass-market device that makes full use of the internet’s potential, putting phone calls over your broadband connection.

The device doubles as a wireless modem – creating a complete telecommunications package in a small and sleek device.

Orcon Genius goes on sale Wednesday 20 July.

Importantly, for Kiwis outside Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch who haven’t yet seen telecommunications competition drive down prices, the device means Orcon can offer a market-leading price point to consumers nationwide* – not just the main centres as has previously been the case.

“This is the way of the future – pretty soon all content will be transferred via your internet connection. With Orcon Genius you can bin the traditional fixed phone line and make your phone calls over the internet and save money. This breaks Telecom’s stranglehold on New Zealand and will save Kiwis millions,” says Orcon CEO Scott Bartlett.

“We’ll be revealing prices next Wednesday, but let’s just say with packages starting at $70 per month, many Kiwis will be cutting around $40 from their monthly bill and that’s massive news in our book.”

Bartlett says people will be able to use the handset built into Orcon Genius, or plug their own phones into the unit and make and receive calls just as they always have but over the internet – including keeping their current phone number.

“The beauty here is that the way you use the phone doesn’t change. It’s the background smarts that take advantage of putting calls over the internet that changes, so you won’t notice any difference apart from the size of your bill.”

Orcon Genius is also ‘fibre-ready’ and will help future-proof homes in readiness for the government’s ultra-fast broadband (UFB) project due to start rolling out in 2012, Bartlett says.

“Orcon Genius is relevant now but it also future-proofs New Zealand homes to ensure they’re ready for the fibre connections we’re promised with UFB. It’s the way ahead for telecommunications and it’s here now.”

Orcon Genius features a range of innovative functions such as one that sends your voicemail as an audio file to your email address. Users can also charge USB-powered cell phones and MP3 players, and use it as central place to back-up files to an external hard drive.

Orcon is also launching a version of Orcon Genius that ships without a handset, called Orcon Genius lite.

While Orcon expects many new and existing customers will move to the Genius service, it will continue to retain its popular Orcon LLU network.

Orcon Genius has been developed in partnership with Australia’s second largest broadband provider iiNet.

About Orcon®
Orcon is New Zealand's fourth biggest ISP, and the third largest internet wholesaler in New Zealand. Orcon employs more than 250 people in New Zealand and provides services to more than 100,000 New Zealand businesses and homes.

*Orcon Genius is available to 84% of NZ households.

ENDS

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