Telecom NZ gets a dose of schadenfreude
Remember all the abuse Telecom rightfully received over the many failings with its XT network? There were the experts flown in from abroad, the tussles with supplier Alcatel-Lucent and the humble apologies of CEO Dr Paul Reynolds.
Well, guess what? Telecom's rivals Vodafone and TelstraClear have been suffering major outages themselves.
TelstraClear has had trouble with its email servers this week affecting 180,000 customers, with some of them not getting email for three days.
Vodafone has also had problems with its voice, text and email services. This issue only came to light following complaints on the Geekzone website, leading Vodafone to be slammed for a lack of openness.
After having such a bruising time lately, I am sure Telecom can allow itself a wry smile.
The telco might even recall the extensive interview one Vodafone staffer gave to Computerworld NZ as the failing XT network heaped further shame on the embattled giant.
A robust mobile network requires not just good technology, but also an architecture designed to mitigate any shortcoming that technology may have, and sound operational processes.
Vodafone's general manager for network services, Mike Davies, says all three elements must be in place to avoid potential service disruptions.
I don't wish to embarrass Mike Davies any further but considering how he detailed at great length how Vodafone supposedly did it better, you have to laugh.
There is another delicious irony too.
What a crying shame the new CEO of the Telecom Users Association of New Zealand, Paul Brislen, is not in a position to comment yet, being on gardening leave until starting his new role in February. He would be the ideal man, considering he formerly held a PR position at Vodafone. In earlier times, I am sure his predecessor, Ernie Newman, would have happily stuck the boot in about Vodafone's issues.
Oh well, I am sure Brislen will get to have his say in the New Year on this and so many other issues.
If there's one thing worse than a country having services that cost too much, it is having services that don't work at all!