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You may be right if you think you’re not ready for or don’t need 10Gbps residential broadband. For now, it’s a niche product for a niche market.

Yet it won’t be long before 10Gbps is mainstream.

Next month, New Zealanders will be able to test the world’s fastest residential broadband. From mid-March, 30 volunteers will get early access to 10Gbps on the Chorus fibre network.

It’s not the world’s first residential 10Gbps service. Singapore already has 10Gbps. Yet Chorus is early to the technology.

Now is the time

There are good reasons to start testing 10Gbps now.

First, New Zealand’s UFB fibre infrastructure is ready for faster services. That was the plan from the outset. Moving to 10Gbps means new equipment at either end of the fibre. It’s an upgrade.

Second, it’s good to be ahead of the demand curve. When UFB was first dreamed up, planners expected one in five people who could get fibre to take it up by 2020.

Today, roughly half the people who can connect to fibre do. That number is set to increase as we get closer to the Rugby World Cup.

There are reasons why uptake is greater than expected. Netflix and Lightbox are the usual suspects. But that’s immaterial. The point is fibre growth has been well ahead of predicted demand curves. The same could be true for 10Gbps.

Prestige

Another, less tangible, reason to get cracking with 10Gbps is prestige.
New Zealand would be among only a handful of countries to offer the service. It’s a testament to our network and planners that we get there early.

On a more practical level, Chorus managed to announce its 10Gbps ahead of competitors. It faces a form of competition from ISPs who want to unbundle fibre. Offering a faster 10Gbps service was one way an unbundler might have differentiated. That’s no longer an option.

Likewise, 10Gbps puts clear blue water between UFB fibre and fixed wireless broadband. When 5G arrives, it, in theory, could offer wireless data speeds that match today’s best UFB speeds.

On paper the 5G specification could see 10Gbps fixed wireless services. That is years off. Apart from anything else, it needs more spectrum than is available to cellular companies either now or after the next round of auctions.

Get ready

A more subtle point is that having 10Gbps now encourages customers to prepare for faster broadband.

As things stand few homes can make full use of 10Gbps. Devices operating at 10Gbps are scarce. The line speed is much faster than home wi-fi networks. You can buy network storage devices that run at 10Gbps, but slower speeds are more common.

Even among the homes that have wired networks, many can’t handle 10Gbps at the moment. The most popular residential Ethernet routers offer 1Gbps.

That’s why Chorus is being picky about who can take part in its test run.
Chorus is looking for 30 volunteers. Candidates need to already have a 1Gbps plan with one of the partner RSPs.

Chorus is a wholesale broadband provider. That means it can only serve 10Gbps broadband through one of its retail partners. Kordia, 2degrees, Trustpower and Stuff Fibre are among the first to sign up. Others will follow.

Test pilots have to live in one of three Chorus exchange areas. That’s Johnsonville in Wellington, Avondale and Birkenhead in Auckland.
Another must-have is a device with a 10Gbps port. Trialists will need to agree to provide feedback on the service.

Big (home) data

The trial is most suitable for people who work with large data files, say movies or high-quality audio. It may also be useful for homes with some high-end gamers or use other demanding applications.

The Chorus 10Gbps trial is a collaborative project. It will use Nokia’s XGS-PON (passive optical network) fibre technology.

Chorus chief customer officer, Ed Hyde says 10Gbps underpins New Zealand’s digital future. He says it will “continue our decade long commitment to innovation and keeping New Zealand’s broadband infrastructure at the cutting edge.”

If the trial is a success, Chorus aims to roll out the 10Gbps service nationwide. You can take that as read. It may not be everywhere this year, but it’s coming.

While Bill Bennett edits The Download magazine and a weekly newsletter for Chorus, this post is an independent opinion.

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It’s understandable people worry about Huawei phones. Recent news reports suggest the company either is, or could one day, use its network equipment to help China spy on or disrupt other nations.

If that’s true, then the company’s phones may also be weaponised.

Huawei phone owners can relax. Well, actually you can’t, read on to find out why. But, unless you work in an important strategic role, Huawei’s brand on your handset is not your biggest phone problem.

While it is possible China’s spies are interested in hearing you call home to say “I’m on my way” or knowing how often you watch cat videos, it’s unlikely.

Easier routes to your data

And anyway it would take a lot of resources and energy to get that information from your phone when there are easier tools at a spy’s disposal.

As another recent online snooping scandal shows, spies can and probably do buy the information they need from Facebook or Google.

We’ve heard that Russian trolls know enough about individuals to target them with vote-changing propaganda.

The level of data available from Facebook or Google is so intimate that motivated snoops can know things about you that none of your close acquaintances do.

They know…

They know if you are closeted. They can know you’re pregnant before your family does. They definitely know if you’re unhappy. They know your prejudices and you musical taste.

The most chilling revelation about Cambridge Analytica is that even seemingly disconnected data helps build a picture of your mood. It reveals what you are thinking.

A Huawei phone’s inherent insecurity has less to do with its country of origin, more to do with the Android operating system.

That means much of your personal information automatically goes back to Google and is for sale. It knows where you’ve been, what you bought, who you talk to and so on. We’re told the data is anonymous, but that doesn’t stop companies from being able to identify and target you.

You agreed to be spied on

You agreed to this when you bought an Android phone. You confirmed your agreement when you clicked on the permission button when setting up the phone software. You agreed all over again when you first used Google Maps. And so on.

If you’d like to double down on enabling malevolent snoops, install a Facebook or Instagram app. Once one of these is on your phone, little you do remains a mystery to anyone with curiosity and a budget. Facebook takes this snooping to another level.

Some people reading this will think it’s quaint and old fashioned to be concerned about personal privacy and security. Perhaps it is.

In most cases the nature of information gathered by Facebook and Google is more valuable to spooks than having a back door into your phone. And a lot less trouble.

Insecurities

One other thing to consider. Given that Facebook has, and continues, to act in bad faith, you can’t trust the company’s promise it keeps your data safe. Spies may be able to buy your Facebook data. State sponsored attackers probably know how to steal it.

All the above applies to any other Android phone whether it is made in China or South Korea.

If you worry about owning a Huawei phone, you should worry about it being an Android phone.

Things are more serious if you work in the military, in a strategic sector or deal with trade secrets. Spies are as likely to be interested in blueprints for cutting-edge engineering as they are in troop placements.

Risk management

Another set of rules applies if you work in those roles. Foreign governments would like phone level access to your data. Even if there’s any truth in the allegations Huawei phones are only marginally more risky than, say, a Samsung phone. That said, extra prudence won’t hurt.

It may also pay to invest in extra security features. Samsung has a nice line of enterprise-grade phone security.

An iPhone looks safer, although Apple isn’t entirely squeaky clean in this department. While Apple gathers data, the company makes a virtue out of protecting its customers in a way the Android phone makers do not.

Apple’s business model is selling hardware and services. Google’s Android business model relies on collecting personal data. It’s that simple.

By all means be cynical about Apple’s claims. Skepticism is healthy. The world would be a safer place if more consumers thought these things through before buying devices. And also be aware that you can blow much of Apple’s protection the moment you install Facebook or any other pernicious data gathering app.

You have no business worrying about Huawei handing over your phone data to Chinese spies if you’re happy to hand over the same information to the likes of Facebook and Google. It’ll probably end up in the same hands either way.

Disclosure: Bill Bennett has travelled to China and elsewhere as Huawei’s guest on three occasions. He owns an iPhone and keeps tame Androids for testing purposes. 

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InternetNZ research shows 94 percent of New Zealanders are concerned about the security of their personal data. Yet despite the high level of fear, researchers found only a fraction of users take practical steps to protect themselves from risk. 

Only one-third of New Zealanders surveyed used account authentication, either two-factor or multi-factor. Meanwhile less than half of those questioned make regular data backups. 

There is also concern about children being able to see inappropriate content online. The survey found this concerns 92 percent of those questioned. 

There are positives. Nine out of ten respondents told InternetNZ the benefits of the internet outweigh the negatives. When asked to be more specific about those benefits, 83 percent named having access to information. 

Commenting on the survey results, Andrew Cushen, InternetNZ’s outreach and engagement officer says: “As more and more of our lives are spent on the Internet, being able to access information online has now become a necessity. 

“This is why it’s so important that we continue to try and close digital divides in New Zealand. Every New Zealander deserves the opportunity to harness the power of the Internet”. 

Cushen says the fact that many people are not protecting themselves online is something we need to improve if New Zealanders are to stay safe online. 

He says: “We all need to take personal responsibility for our safety on the internet”. 

Cushen says the concern over inappropriate content is a reminder that families should talk to each other about the different types of content and what to do if they come across anything upsetting. He says; “We need to ensure that people of all ages feel safe on the Internet.”

The data comes from an annual survey commissioned by InternetNZ and conducted by Colmar Brunton. The research examines local internet attitudes.

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Huawei is no longer welcome as a phone network build in some western democracies.

There’s an unproven suspicion the company is already spying for China. Even if it is not spying, western governments are wary of depending on a Chinese firm for critical infrastructure.

Sooner or later those fears about Huawei network equipment will spill over into phone handsets.

Negative headlines and ministerial statements here and overseas have already damaged Huawei’s brand. It could get worse.

Implications

What could fear of Huawei mean for the phone market?

It may lead to reduced choice, higher prices and less innovation. Mind you, the second two are already happening, with or with a Huawei effect.

Last year Huawei was the fourth most popular phone brand in New Zealand. It sits behind Samsung, Apple and Vodafone. Huawei had roughly ten percent of the market by unit numbers. The top two brands dominate by a long way.

Because Vodafone-branded handsets are at the low-end of the market, Huawei was number three in terms of revenue. Huawei’s share of revenue was also about ten percent. This number matters more than unit sales.

Huawei fast growing

Also important, Huawei was by far the fastest-growing phone brand in New Zealand both in terms of unit sales and revenue growth. It took market share from both Apple and Samsung.

Huawei plays an important role in New Zealand’s market. It puts pressure on the top two brands and ensures Android phone buyers have a plausible alternative to Samsung.

New Zealand is one of Huawei’s better markets. The phones are invisible in the US. In Australia Huawei is number five in the market, but with a much smaller share. Apple sells roughly 18 phones for every phone sold by Huawei. Samsung sells about 12.

Both Australia and the US have been wary of Huawei network hardware for some time.

Fear spill over

Of course other factors are at play, but it’s reasonable to assume those network security fears have something of a knock-on effect in the handset market.

It’s likely something similar will happen here.

Phone buyers might reason that if ministers and intelligence agencies are concerned about snooping at the network level, the same might apply to Huawei mobile phones, tablets and personal computers.

At the same time, people might look askance when a phone owner reveals they own a Huawei handset. Phone snobbery is real enough already, this is another level.

Employers might decide they don’t want employees doing business on a Huawei handset. There doesn’t need to be an outright ban, a lot of frowning will have a chilling effect.

Retail

It may even become harder to buy a Huawei phone. If things get worse, it’s possible the telcos will want to distance themselves from the brand. That means you either won’t see the handsets in Spark, Vodafone or 2degrees stores or they will be relegated to almost under-the-counter status.

Huawei may decide it needs to ramp up its marketing to calm customer fears. It’s possible, the company is good at talking to the industry, but consumer communication has not been a Huawei strength.

Who wins?

If consumers and retailers turn their back on Huawei, it will take price pressure off rival phone makers. Samsung will benefit most. Huawei has been snapping at Samsung’s heels for some time. Huawei Android phones tend to be as good as Samsung models, but cost a little less.

Apple stands to benefit too. We’ll come back to that point in another post.

There’s every possibility that unease about Huawei phones will spread to other Chinese brands.

Oppo has made a splash here, but the brand needs to work hard to explain why it should not be tarred with the same brush.

After all, if the Chinese government can bully its most prestigious technology company into handing over data, stomping on a smaller player will be simple.

All of this is speculation. It’s possible the scare goes away. It could be that New Zealanders don’t follow Americans and Australians in treating the Huawei brand with caution or suspicion. But on overseas evidence, we should prepare for a phone market shake up.

In my next post about Huawei, I’m going to look at why spying-related suspicion about the company’s phone handsets is misplaced.

Disclosure: Bill Bennett has travelled to China and elsewhere as Huawei’s guest on three occasions.

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“Just seven percent of Australian broadband users subscribed to 100Mbps services, compared to 29 percent of New Zealanders.”

A report in today’s Commsday quotes S&P Kagan’s research on Asia Pacific 100Mbps broadband usage.

However, it isn’t clear if S&P is only counting users on 100Mbps or those on 100Mbps and higher speeds. The company hadn’t responded to a request for more information at the time of writing. 

This compares with figures from Chorus which says that 71 percent of mass market customers on the company’s network have connection speeds of 100Mbps or higher. Mass market in this context means consumer and small business accounts. 

The S&P Kagan number for New Zealand stacks up with local figures. In round numbers, about half the people with fibre access choose fibre plans. We know the numbers for other fibre areas are roughly in line with Chorus. We also know that fibre reaches at two thirds of the country at the moment. So give or take a point or two, 29 percent seems right.