Now's time for communications

Hawke's Bay telecommunications provider Airnet has changed its name to Now, as it tests Telecom's dominance in the regions.

With a loyal broadband and telephone following, it will count cellphones in its suite of products.

CEO Hamish White said the new brand reflected a basic element of Now's "unparalleled service".

"It is recognising people's appetite for immediacy," he said.

"We all want to access information now. We all want to communicate now. We all want to share the goings on in our daily lives now. The answer was quite simple."

The company is keen for their customers to describe their service as "awesome", he said.

"We already have faster, cheaper broadband and calling, but it is our product innovation and service that truly sets us apart."

It has set itself a target of 20 per cent of neighbouring regions' market within five years of entering. Rotorua is first - starting next year, then Gisborne and Manawatu. A decision is yet to be made about Wairarapa. "It is supportive of the Naenae exchange in Lower Hutt, but if you are going that far south the economics would suggest you go into Wellington."

Sales manager Ben Deller is confident one of the triggers of customer transfer is the "obvious" concept of internet data rollover. "With other companies your data allowance disappears at the end of the month. With us it keeps filling up the bucket until you use it when it suits you. You've already paid for it, so why not use it?"

He said their mobile phone service was 12-16 weeks away and there were more new products in the pipeline. "We are in dialogue with movie-on-demand companies and streaming-music companies. We will offer turnkey solutions."

Founded in 2002, Now is recognised by central government as a designated telecommunications carrier. It was one of the first companies in New Zealand to embrace Local Loop Unbundling, giving access to Chorus' Last Mile network. It is the only telecommunications company in New Zealand that can connect customers to either UnisonFibre or Chorus next-generation fibre. Mr White said Now's designated status and smaller size meant it was nimbler than competitors. "We do smarter things with calls as well in terms of call routing, voicemail to email, fax to email - services you can't get on other networks."

He said customers won't be locked into contracts unless the company provides hardware. "There is something systemically wrong with your business if you can't retain a customer."