The UFB killer app

Asian operators fret over the lack of a killer app for fibre service says Informa senior analyst Tony Brown.

They have it easy compared with New Zealand fibre service providers. As Brown says, Asians get around the problem delivering digital content. Australian service providers have content deals with sporting codes to fall back on.

In New Zealand Sky TV has the best content locked up but it's not available to internet users.

Video is the obvious candidate

In other words, not only do New Zealand fibre service providers lack of a killer app, they can’t even offer the most obvious everyday app: streaming video.

Consumers can work around this – and Sky TV – faking US or UK ip addresses and downloading content from Netflix, iTunes or even the BBC. That has to stay unofficial and kept out of any fibre marketing. And there is always outright piracy.

At some point politicians and government officials might look again at how content is regulated in New Zealand. It would be wise to do so earlier, not later.

Videoconferencing

Before anyone mentions it, high quality videoconferencing is not a killer app. At least not for consumers, it may sell fibre to businesses.

And anyway, over the top services like Skype and Apple Facetime already dominate consumer videoconferencing over copper. Things are unlikely to change with a move to fibre.

None of this should alter anything as far as UFB goes. Fibre is a sound investment in its own right. Simply running lines past every school, business and health centre in the county will pay off. Yet, it would be better if there was a compelling incentive for consumers to sign up today.