TelstraClear is New Zealand's second-largest telecommunications company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telstra Corporation (Australia), with around 400,000 customers.
The company provides residential line rental services, internet services, IT services, security services, cable TV/cable modem and mobile telephone services to 70,000 subscribers on its network in Wellington, Christchurch and Kapiti.
In 2004 TelstraClear began offering residential line HomePlan services including broadband outside those areas where it has its own network, reselling a wholesale product from Telecom New Zealand.
History
TelstraClear had its beginnings in 1996 with Telstra New Zealand.
Telstra NZ slowly expanded its operations in the business market bundling Telecom New Zealand services distributed as a reseller with its own network services. It installed switches in Auckland and Wellington to manage incoming and outgoing international traffic and maintained an interconnect agreement with Telecom New Zealand and is likely to have had others with companies such as Clear Communications.
In 2000 Saturn Communications was sold by its parent company, Austar United Communications to a new joint venture with Telstra that became known as TelstraSaturn.
TelstraClear was then created by the merger of Telstra's TelstraSaturn and Clear Communications in December 2001. Austar United Communications held an initial investment of 42% in TelstraClear before selling it back to Telstra.
In 2004 TelstraClear made its first acquisition in the IT market with the purchase of Sytec[1] mainly for its IP telephony and security skills, in particular the specialist managed security subsidiary DMZGlobal. In 2007 Sytec was formally integrated into the TelstraClear's Enterprise and government division and the brand retired, but the DMZGlobal brand has been retained and invested in.
Services
POTS Telephone Services
Residential telephone service is available in two ways:
1.Through the TelstraClear network, in Kapiti, Wellington and Christchurch.
2.Through a resale agreement with Telecom New Zealand for the rest of the country.
Business telephone services are offered across the country, either on TelstraClear's own network in Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Napier, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Kapiti, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. HomePlan residential services are offered in the rest of the country via a resale agreement with Telecom.
IT and Security Services
With the acquisition of Sytec and the formation of Enterprise and Government division, TelstraClear now also provides managed network solutions, ICT services (such as desktop and device management and co-location), enterprise comms and contact center solutions. In addition under the DMZGlobal brand TelstraClear does Internet security, managed security, and security consulting services.
Internet Services
TelstraClear owns two ISPs, Paradise.net and Clearnet, with Clearnet becoming the umbrella brand. Both offer nationwide dialup and DSL service, and cable modem internet access within TelstraClear's own (built) network. Capable of speeds up to 25 Mbit/s, it is New Zealand's fastest residential broadband. Outside this network, most broadband connections are resold over Telecom's DSL lines. A number of their dial-up IP numbers are blacklisted as abusers by sites such as DSBL.
Mobile Services
TelstraClear currently does not operate their own mobile network, but it used to use Vodafone's network. In 2007 this agreement was not renewed, and 30,000 TelstraClear mobile customers were scheduled to be returned to Vodafone. However, TelstraClear signed a wholesale mobile deal to access the Telecom New Zealand CDMA network and TelstraClear is beginning to offer its new services to small medium enterprises and small business. In 2008, they started to offer handsets to the public using the same prefix as their business mobile phones using Telecom's network. At the launch date TelstraClear had the cheapest mobile plan in New Zealand, customers had to have their homeline and broadband with TelstraClear.
Subscription Television (TelstraClear InHomeTV)
TelstraClear operates the Hybrid Fibre Cable pay television network developed by Saturn Communications in Wellington, Kapiti and Christchurch, prior to the sale to Telstra. The network was formerly known as Saturn TV. The network infrastructure includes twisted pair cabling used for residential and business local telephone service.
Programming is sourced from SKY Network Television following an agreement in 2002 and also locally received and sourced channels. The agreement allows TelstraClear to distribute and bill for services provided by SKY Network Television on its own Direct to Home satellite service and TelstraSaturn's cable network.
InHomeTV is available on TelstraClear's Cable network in Wellington, Christchurch and Kapiti. The service is available only if bundled with TelstraClear's telephony service.
In 2005, the network was upgraded to a fully digital transmission network. They expect to offer an HDTV option in early 2009 which will consist of a single set-top-box incorporating a personal hard drive video recorder.
Channel Lineup
This lists all current digital and analogue channels. Channel numbers were changed in March 2007 to coincide with SKY channel number changes.
Interactive Services
Interactive services are available only on digital.
- Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) - Television listing information.
- Pay Per View (PPV) Guide - Sky Box Office listing information.
Defunct Channels
- TechTV was available up until May 2004, when current owner Comcast halted international broadcasts. (Source: TelstraClear website)
- Chilli (an adult channel) was also available until 2006 when CEO Alan Freeth discontinued the product on moral grounds.
(Source TelstraClear staff memo)
References
One of DMZGlobal Ford Falcons outside the
Wellington office
External links
