New name on line for broadband

By RICHARD WOOD

Walker Wireless has changed its name to Woosh and launches a commercial high speed wireless internet service in Auckland this weekend, challenging Telecom's Jetstream.

The broadband service will cover 40 per cent of Auckland, spanning Avondale in the west, St Heliers in the east, Penrose in the south and Takapuna in the north.

Managing director Bob Smith said Woosh aimed to cover 70 per cent of the city by Christmas.

An entry-level package features internet bandwidth of 250kbps for $65 a month- twice as fast as Telecom's Jetstream Starter for the same monthly charge.

A key feature of the package is its portability, allowing users with notebook computers to maintain an internet connection anywhere within Woosh's network coverage.

The company said it aimed to offer the service in Wellington and Christchurch by Christmas.

Woosh is also involved in Government Probe project-related wireless offerings in Southland, Northland, and Wairapa/Tararua.

Founder Rod Inglis said Woosh was the first large deployment of a portable mobile wireless solution in the world and overseas firms are interested in the system.

Woosh is owned by Inglis and a consortium of investors including Stephen Tindall, Craig Heatley, Todd Corporation and California-based venture capital group Clarity Partners. Mobile telco Vodafone has an option to take a 19.9 per cent shareholding at about 33c a share.

Walker Wireless' 2003 annual return was filed on June 24 and listed just over 122 million shares, which if valued at 33c a share would equate to a value for the firm of $40.3 million.

Inglis said the firm would seriously consider a sharemarket listing within 18 months to two years following development of its customer base.

The broadband internet service will be followed by a voice telephony service later this year using internet protocol technology.

A combined internet and voice offering will offer serious competition to Telecom. Broadband internet services from Telecom are due this month and are expected to start at 256kbps for about $60 per month.

Telecom Xtra head of consumer marketing Chris Thompson said the arrival of Woosh would be good for broadband take-up in New Zealand.

Woosh v Jetstream

Woosh

Wireless modem - $399

250kbps service - $65/month*

350kbps - $123/month**

500kbps - $404/month**

* Customers who use more than 10 times the median will get a call to discuss other usage plans.

**usage capped

Telecom Jetstream Starter

ADSL modem - $120

Telecom installation - $248

DIY installation - $99

128kbps - $65/month*

256kbps - $60/month**

*usage capped

**expected but not yet available