Brett O’Riley: Fibre the Dr Dolittle for NZ

"If only the sheep could talk". This is a statement that has been made many times over the years in the New Zealand information and communications technology industry. The idea is that it would result in an exponential increase in customers and business.

New Zealand’s economy relies on primary production. With fibre broadband infrastructure, a revolution of these sectors is upon us. With improved infrastructure we won’t just be communicating with sheep and cattle, but birds, trees, fruit, vegetables and minerals among other things. These are all core industries for growing New Zealand’s wealth, jobs and betterment of the country.

The “Dr Dolittle” of this revolution will be the broadband infrastructure that the government and industry is going to develop in partnership in the ultra-fast broadband initiative. This infrastructure will create the economic backbone for connecting applications, sometimes via wireless or satellite that will enable goods such as sheep and cattle to communicate with us. That conversation will be conducted between sensors on the animal communicating with machines – something I call S2M (Sensor 2 Machine) communication; and it is going to revolutionise New Zealand.

Why? Because we are going to have unprecedented information related to primary products. We will be able to monitor growth, location and where it goes as an end product. Sensors will measure products’ emissions, their effluent and movement. This is all very important information that will maximise our productive output as a country and deal with issues like emissions.

There are signs that we will face significant new international competition in the primary production sectors as countries like China ramp up their capability, so technology like this will be important in retaining our edge.

Broadband infrastructure will enable this essential information to be gathered and processed and for our scientists and researchers to develop new advancements to maintain a global competitive advantage.

The same broadband-enabled Sensor 2 Machine technology will also revolutionise the lives of citizens and the way our cities function.

This Dr Doolittle concept will also apply to our health system.

We will apply that same sensor technology to monitor our own health and vital signs. The information will be shared and analysed by GPs or specialists using smart technology. Fibre-based broadband will enable interactivity with health advisors in prescribing treatment or more detailed diagnosis.

As citizens we will get improved speeds for internet connections at home and at work. S2M applications will enable our economy and society like nothing before in terms of scope and scale. Our cities will become “intelligent communities” where homes, offices and roads will be monitored by technology, regulating power, security and travel.

The Government is poised to spend $1.5 billion on improving broadband infrastructure, along with an equal contribution from the private sector. The end goal is to have a fibre optics network covering the majority of the population and country.

In the 19th century, it was refrigeration and the steamship that enabled our economy. Air travel and freight brought us even closer to markets in the 20th century, and gave millions of tourists access to 100% pure New Zealand.

Fibre-based broadband is the 21st century economic enabler and can scale in a way never seen before. Its networks will be utilised by every economic and social activity. It has no growth constraints. Applications like S2M will generate high value jobs and intellectual property for New Zealand. We can deliver services based on this intellectual property to every corner of the world, courtesy of international fibre-optic connections.

Fast broadband will also assist with the proliferation of what the industry terms ‘Cloud Computing’. This is accessing services and applications located at a third party location over the internet – euphemistically known as in the “cloud”. Many of us already use cloud computing programmes. Some of you will be using Skype to connect with family, colleagues or friends or Xero for your company accounts.

Once developed for the NZ market, these cloud-based services will also be able to be accessed by international customers from their own locations, all enabled by broadband.

With more work applications and services in what we term as ‘the cloud’ or the internet, we will be able to make greater choices about where and when we work or play – meaning that you may be able to work from home more often, rather than going to the office.

Quite how these services will impact our lives raises some interesting questions. The group that represents suppliers in New Zealand’s Information Communications Technologies industry – NZICT – along with TVNZ, Hybrid TV and other partners, aims to address this. We will this year begin a trial showcasing the applications and services running over fibre, called ‘ Hybrid SmartStreet.’

Based on a similar trial in Australia, the Smartstreet initiative will involve a number of homes, businesses, and schools. We will connect these participants to state of the art fibre infrastructure and then run a number of new and existing services to them. We will track this trial and publicise it so that New Zealanders will be able to see for themselves what a true 21st Century home/school/business looks like.

Having enough trained and skilled workers will be one of the challenges for New Zealand to maximise the benefits of the broadband investment. This is why industry, government and the education sector is working closely to ensure we have the school curriculum, tertiary courses, internship programmes, and ongoing ICT training culture, to address this opportunity.

Broadband will help enable this too, with true two way high speed connectivity (as opposed to slow upload and faster download speeds) available to more homes and schools. This will enable true interactive video applications from home and schools. Your big screen at home or school will become a key interactive device, with all sorts of training, education, entertainment and working from home opportunities.

Improved connectivity through better infrastructure, along with access to capital and solid Government policies that support growth within the technology and science sectors also means that New Zealand companies can continue to expand internationally without having to leave New Zealand.

Bring on fibre and what it means for New Zealand.

AUTHOR: Brett O’Riley - NZICT Group Chief Executive Officer - Brett has over twenty years experience in the ICT sector. Brett has held senior roles at Gen-i, Telecom New Zealand, Nava Networks, Southern Cross Cable Network and Pacific Gateway Exchange, among others.

About The Vector Fibre Debate

The Government plans to give New Zealand a complete fibre to the door ultra-fast broadband network. Vector thinks that’s a great idea and is hoping to help them do it and Scoop.co.nz also thinks its something well worth discussing. To have your say in The Vector Fibre Debate see… http://www.fibretothedoor.co.nz/

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