1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Hud We Maori five G. 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 2: A wiki to man that. 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: Was TV and Z Takarare presenter Scotti Morrison five years 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: ago announcing the news that a short term allocation of 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: radio spectrum for five G services was being made to MARI. 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: It turned out to be a stepping stone to a 7 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: more significant agreement between the Crown and MARI signed in 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two that granted MARI a fifty megahertz slice 9 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: of spectrum allocated to five G telecommunications services. Not only that, 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: but a twenty percent share of all future commercial radio 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: spectrum allocations. It was a huge win for MARI after 12 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: decades of making the case that radio waves were a 13 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: tanga and essential to preserving Maori language and culture. This 14 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: week on the Business of Tech powered by two's Business 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: Anthony Royle, one of the key figures that helped secure 16 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: that historic win from MARI, on the innovation in five 17 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,279 Speaker 1: G services that the MARI led organization to a Taya 18 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,839 Speaker 1: is now undertaking using that spectrum allocation. 19 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 2: We are not going to go and try and compete 20 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 2: and do another two degrees. We've done their job. What 21 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 2: we want to do now is look at some of 22 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 2: the other ways that we can help improve productive out 23 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 2: the safety using virus technologies in a particular g wils, 24 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: so that was our starting point. 25 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: Anthony joins me shortly on episode ninety of the Business 26 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: of Tech, and my first episode without Ben More as 27 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: my co pilot. Ben sadly departed Business Desk this week, 28 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: but don't worry, he'll be hopefully back as a guest 29 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: from time to time, as he's staying very much in 30 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: the world of tech. But I'll be flying solo from 31 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: here on in, bringing you each week interviews with some 32 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: of our leading thinkers from the world of tech and business. 33 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: My premise is pretty simple. Really, New Zealand isn't in 34 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: a great place when you look at some of the 35 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: big economic and social indicators and how they are trending. 36 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: But when you scratch the surface, and this particularly goes 37 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: for the tech world, I'm so passionate about There's so 38 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: much good innovative stuff going on here. We have a 39 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: lot of smart people trying to make our country a 40 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: better place, and I think their perspectives can inspire us 41 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: all to do a lot better. That certainly applies to 42 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: this week's guest, Anthony Royle. In a few short years, 43 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: Anthony has led the organization to ar Taya formerly the 44 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,639 Speaker 1: Interim Mari Spectrum Commission from startup to late last year 45 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: signing a deal to build a country's first commercial private 46 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: five G network for Wellington's Center Port. It's pretty incredible 47 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: progress and it's led to the creation of jobs and 48 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: crucially opportunities for MARI to have careers in the telecommunications 49 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: and tech space that otherwise wouldn't have existed. This really 50 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: all stems from the Waitangi Tribunal decades ago recognizing claims 51 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: to radio spectrum, and then a valiant effort by many 52 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: people in Maridom, Anthony Royal among them, to convince the 53 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,959 Speaker 1: government to accept those claims and share the rights to 54 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: radio spectrum with MARI. So here's Anthony with a bit 55 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: of background on that big win for MARI with the 56 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 1: radio spectrum allocation and what his plans are for five gen. 57 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: Anthony Royal Kura, Welcome to the Business of Tech. I've 58 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: wanted to get you on for quite some time because 59 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: I'm just really excited about the work you're doing at Tuateya. 60 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: What was the Intra Mari Spectrum Commission looking after this 61 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: amazing Tana on behalf of MARI, the five G spectrum 62 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: allocation and some really cool stuff that you have been 63 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: doing and have plans for with that spectrum on behalf 64 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: of MARI for the betterment of MARI. I just wanted 65 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: to start out really about your background, a long career 66 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: in it and in MARI governance and lots of organizations 67 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: EWEI based organizations and trusts, as well as the likes 68 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: of Tapuna Carker back in the day Two Degrees you're 69 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: on the board of and there's a connection to this 70 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: journey you've been on it. Two Degrees is very much 71 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: pied off. We'll talk about as well. But I think 72 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: way back in the nineties you started out what as 73 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 1: an electrical engineer. 74 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 2: That's right. Iing to engineering school in Auckland back then, 75 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 2: because the engineering schools were very different. It was very 76 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: male orientated and to a very very few Mary in fact, 77 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 2: I think it was one other Marty in the engineering 78 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 2: school at the time. That was where I built my career. 79 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 2: I always wanted to be engineered. I don't know why, 80 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 2: because my family comes from a family of educationalists and 81 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,119 Speaker 2: of course you never get away from that. I've found 82 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: that through my career as education really wasn't my thing. 83 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: I've found myself being involved in education, knowlogy and mari 84 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 2: and where those three things meet, that's the kind of 85 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 2: sweet spot for me. So I'm from Nati tamter kitotongav 86 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 2: So I spent a lot of time with Nati Rocoa 87 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 2: and based out of Watucky with Colla and many of 88 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 2: the leaders that came from from that area, including one 89 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 2: of my mentors who was Fatarani Winata who was a 90 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: professor at Victoria University for Iran ran to Aranka was 91 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 2: the first CEO first to Monkey. I'm also from Napoleon 92 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 2: and north from my grandmother's side. I'm from the south 93 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 2: side of the Hook young and then from Nati Tama 94 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 2: Nati Fenoga in the Hierarchy area, which is where I'm 95 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 2: now spending a lot of my time. I chair Nati Tamterra, 96 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 2: which has interests all the way through the Orchand area 97 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 2: all the way down to Katikati and around, particularly predominant 98 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 2: in the huraky Planes and Coromandal areas. So I do 99 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: a lot of that ebee work as well. But you know, 100 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 2: the technology spaces where I've kind of sped my time. 101 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: You've had a wide variety of roles. 102 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: Anthony. 103 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: You started out looking after the paper machines at the 104 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 1: Kinley paper Mill, then Tasman Paper Mill as well. You 105 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: spent a number of years in Asia installing computers and factories. 106 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: You came home really sort of retrained in it. Got 107 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: involved in the first web projects for the New Zealand 108 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: Dairy Board before it became Fonterra. 109 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 2: We had this new thing called the Web and we 110 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 2: implemented the very first international Internet that connected all of 111 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 2: the sites around around the world. So, you know, those 112 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 2: were really good foundational times developing a skill set, and 113 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,720 Speaker 2: then I decided to then turn my attention to taking 114 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 2: those skills and using them for the betterment for Mari, 115 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 2: and so did a lot of work with FAATENGI went 116 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 2: out there and building to Angopol. We implemented in two 117 00:06:57,720 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 2: thousand and the very first program whereby it was composed 118 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 2: through for every single student that came to the waring 119 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 2: to have a computer, and if they didn't have one, 120 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 2: we gave them one and we gave them training. And 121 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: as a result of that program, we got computers into 122 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 2: the homes of thousands of mary across the country. We 123 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 2: were looking to normalize the use of technology, and to 124 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: this day it's to on oco now has We did 125 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 2: another project which is about in the early days of 126 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 2: online learning, we've said, well, this is probably going to 127 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 2: be the future. So we invested quite a bit of 128 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 2: time and effort into thinking about how best to do 129 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 2: that with sort of products, and we deployed one of 130 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: the very first Moodal implementations in New Zealand that's still 131 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 2: running today and in fact has a massive number of 132 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: online students now. So fucking you went out. It was 133 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 2: a visionary in that area. He knew that we needed 134 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 2: to do some stuff for the future and he let 135 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: us get on with it. I've been very fortunate to 136 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 2: have been involved in many of those projects which were 137 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: very forward. 138 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: Thinking, Yeah, and tackling that issue that we still have 139 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: to be honest, off the digital divide is inequity there 140 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: around access to things like broadband devices, online learning platforms. 141 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: So you were directly addressing some of those things early on. 142 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like in two thousand when we got our program 143 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 2: up and running computers. The s problem was that many 144 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 2: of our students come from way around the country. Well 145 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 2: none of the ISPs would take them on, mostly because 146 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 2: you need to have credit cards, and most of our 147 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 2: students were pretty transient. They were in rental situations, and 148 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 2: there was no way for us to get our students 149 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 2: onto an ICP. So we said, we're going to create 150 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 2: our own That's what we did. We created our own 151 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 2: ISP and these are back in the days we used 152 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 2: modems over phone lines. We created our own health desk 153 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 2: and we trained up people to be on the end 154 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: of the line to give people a hand. You know, 155 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 2: back in those days, that was pretty innovative to start 156 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 2: up your own ISP. These days, it's relatively straightforward to 157 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 2: do that. 158 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: Well, there's a whole wholesale sort of network now with 159 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: obviously with Corus, you're basically wholesale in fiber access. It 160 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: was a lot more difficult back then, negotiating literally with 161 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: Telecom who had the monopoly on the copper lines. 162 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 2: That's right. We even put our own fiber into all teching. 163 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: We ran a big fiber ring. We've got some guys 164 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 2: and we dug a big fiber ring in me. Of 165 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 2: course that got over built by of course we weren't 166 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 2: able to come to an agreement. Said we said, look 167 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 2: at these fiber were in the ground we've got ducks, 168 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: We've got the whole lot. But anyway, they went that 169 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 2: keen on the idea. But that's the kind of thinking 170 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 2: that we were engaged. It was exciting, it was risky, 171 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: and it was you know, this be the future is 172 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 2: So that's what we should be doing, is thinking about 173 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 2: what's the next thing? Where are we're going? And yeah, yeah, 174 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 2: I think we all know what the next big thing is. 175 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 2: The question is how do you hark it? 176 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: And while all of this great work was going on, 177 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: it was really, I guess, a bit of a struggle 178 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 1: to recognize Mari's rights to spectrum. Radio spectrum a really 179 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: valuable commodity that telecommunications providers and broadcasters rely on to 180 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: supply those services. Take us through sort of the history 181 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: of this. It goes back to probably the seventies and eighties, 182 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: but that real struggled to have that right recognized legally. 183 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: That led to in twenty twenty two, and you were 184 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: a big part of making this happen. That recognition of 185 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: Mary's rights enshrined in legislation, resulting in MARI collectively being 186 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: given a chunk of five G spectrum and the rights 187 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 1: to twenty percent of future commercial spectrum as well, huge 188 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: huge development there. Take us back to the history of that. 189 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 1: Where does it begin, Well. 190 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 2: It begins well before my time, because Mary been working 191 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 2: on this for decades. The argument was linked to survival 192 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 2: of our language. There was a lot of work to 193 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 2: try and encourage the use of Telli or Mary, and 194 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 2: one of the tools that was required to make that 195 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 2: happen was being able to have access to broadcast services, 196 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 2: both in terms of radio and television. The ability for 197 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 2: people to hear the language in a normalized situation over 198 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 2: our broadcast services was pretty fundamental and that was what 199 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 2: the argument was about. And of course the government was 200 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 2: not keen at all on handing out licenses. After a 201 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 2: lot of arguments and discussion and negotiation through some AM 202 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 2: radio stations that were set up and some of them 203 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 2: run to the. 204 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: Day and those AM licenses back then, that was really 205 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,599 Speaker 1: the start of EE radio, which, as you say, is 206 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: still going strong decades later. I think there was also 207 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: an effort at the time for Mari to host the 208 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 1: third TV station that ultimately became TV three of totally 209 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,319 Speaker 1: commercial cam List venture back in the early nineties, but 210 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 1: there was obviously a concerted effort it didn't work, I 211 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: think for financial reason for Mari to be that third 212 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: TV channel. 213 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, there's been a lot of barriers placed in 214 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 2: the way over time, not the least of which is 215 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 2: having the financial capital to be able to pull some 216 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 2: of the stuff off, because you know, producing media is 217 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 2: not a cheap exercise. But I think that you know, 218 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,959 Speaker 2: through the persistence of some of our leaders over the years, 219 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 2: you know, Sir Graham and Lada Murra and were Angywaketi 220 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 2: Puru and many many others, they've all done the hard 221 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 2: yards on this over time, and it's down to those 222 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 2: leaders who have really thought for this that we are 223 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 2: in the position were now. 224 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:27,200 Speaker 1: Nineteen eighty six, the White Tangi Tribunal found that broadcasting 225 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: was crucial for promoting today as you say, it should 226 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: be a tanga protected by the Treaty of Waite Tangy. 227 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: Fast forward to ninety nine, the White Tangi Tribunal Y 228 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 1: seven seven six recommended allocating a share of commercial spectrum 229 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: to MAI. The government didn't accept that finding. It took 230 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: another basically twenty years for that to actually happen. 231 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 2: So there was Rangya or Everton was the claimant supported 232 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 2: by Natrokowa when you are to playing a very strong part. 233 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 2: Dang Yojo's son Graham Everton that they all played a 234 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 2: part and bringing to the argument around telecommunications spectrum. That 235 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:13,079 Speaker 2: was the first in the telecommunications space that we saw 236 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 2: an argument brought forth around the role that BARTI had 237 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: to play in this space. And you know, it's quite 238 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:22,079 Speaker 2: interesting the role that New Zealand as a whole is 239 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 2: played in telecommunications. We were the first in the world 240 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 2: to auction off telecommunications spectrum. The United States and other 241 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: countries around the world actually followed us and looked at 242 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 2: the experiment that happened here in New Zealand and now 243 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 2: it's become the norm. And of course that idea of 244 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 2: optioning off spectrum was the very thing that kept off 245 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,559 Speaker 2: the argument and the U Tribune, and that is the 246 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 2: government assumed ownership of this resource, the rights to use 247 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 2: spectrum or telecommunication spectrum in particular, and then to be 248 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 2: able to go on and in correct private property rights 249 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 2: which are then tradeable. They have asset values and can 250 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,239 Speaker 2: be traded. That was the key that good the conversation, 251 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 2: saying you can't assume that you own the stuff and 252 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 2: then can convert it into these private assets. And of 253 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 2: course the government's argument was what in eighteen forty, you know, 254 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 2: you guys didn't know about spectrum, so you know you 255 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 2: can't count and make your tonnel well, and eighty forty 256 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 2: you didn't. So that was the basis of the argument 257 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 2: was really around these private rights that were being created. 258 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 2: And of course the Witanua Tribunal found in favor. The 259 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 2: government didn't accept the finding because it's only a recommendatory process. 260 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 2: Some part. What they did do was in two thousand 261 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 2: and the following year and they said, tell you what 262 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 2: we'll do is we'll set up a trust, and which 263 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 2: was called at the time the Marti Spectrum Trust, which 264 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 2: is now called to that. I take a trust and 265 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 2: then we'll give you a bit of money. They gave 266 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 2: five million dollars and then the government spent a million 267 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 2: dollars on actually setting the trust up, so it wasn't 268 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 2: a lot of cash. And then the rights to purchase 269 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 2: some three g spectrum and we'll give you a discount, 270 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: a five percent disc and the spectrum I think was 271 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 2: very forteen million. I think, so there was no way 272 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 2: with the money that we had that were going to 273 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 2: even be able to get our hands on it. So 274 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 2: from that point forward, there were a number of people 275 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 2: who rolled up best Lee's and said, look, we need 276 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 2: to think about how we utilize the spectrum this opportunity 277 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 2: we have, and how do we build a competing network. 278 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 2: And of course, at the time, Vodaphone and Spark had 279 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 2: a very comfortable duopoly, so even if you wanted to 280 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 2: start up a new network, there were so many things 281 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 2: that were barriers in place to prevent that occurrent. But 282 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:42,479 Speaker 2: with tenacity and people like Tex Edwards and Bill Osborne 283 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 2: and many others, Bavis, Mulleins and others batted down all 284 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 2: of those barriers over time, attracted investment from overseas and 285 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 2: eventually launched two degrees Mobile, of which Marty had a 286 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 2: small portion, of a diluting portion over time because of 287 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 2: building one of these nationwide mes works at a billion 288 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 2: dollars is pretty expensive, so it's not the sort of 289 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 2: petticash that we have sitting in the draw. So over 290 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 2: time we were diluted. But nonetheless, I think the value 291 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 2: that we have seen as a result of two degrees 292 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 2: Mobile coming to this country is can be measured in 293 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 2: billions of pe and now we've got one of the 294 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 2: more competitive markets in the world. We didn't have that before. 295 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 2: I remember personally getting a monthly bill from Vodafa for 296 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 2: seven hundred and fifty dollars for my mobile phone. 297 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, sending a text message was twenty cents, So it 298 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: was ridiculous. Every market in Europe showed that. When in 299 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: the US, when you have three players, that's when you 300 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: really do get competition. That relationship and it was back 301 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: in the early days. It was with Ecoonett, this African 302 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: telecommunications provider. They were involved in it texts just a 303 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: force of nature, knew exactly what he was doing. He 304 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: was involved in. It led to your involvement with two 305 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: Degrees on the board as well. 306 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 2: That's right. I was on the board during the startup 307 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 2: phase of Two Degrees, which was pretty exciting. It learned 308 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 2: a lot during that phase working with the guys from Trilogy. Yeah, 309 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 2: it was a pretty exciting face. It was a people 310 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 2: were passionate about building a new competitive organization against the 311 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 2: existing two incumbenties. Yeah. 312 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: So that has happened and you know they have one 313 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: hundreds of thousands of customers now, so that's a great thing. 314 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,880 Speaker 1: Separate to that about five years ago you joined the 315 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: Intra mari Spectrum Commission which is now Totaya as the 316 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: chief executive officer, and that was really to shepherd and 317 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: take care of the spectrum resources. 318 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 2: In two thousand and twenty we established the Intra Marii 319 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 2: Spectrum Commission Trust, which I became the CEO of and 320 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 2: then we went on to negotiating a deal with the 321 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:53,239 Speaker 2: government which we signed in twenty twenty two. And so 322 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 2: that was a landmark agreement with the government that set 323 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 2: out a plan for the future which was about a 324 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 2: test spectrum, about supporting developing up the idea of a 325 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 2: spectrum commission, the idea of how do we get access 326 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 2: to infrastructure, skills, capability because we've been trying for so long. 327 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 2: Capabilities in the space are very low, very few Maori 328 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 2: inside telecommunications sector and this and issue actually pull others 329 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 2: bit later it and just really how do you continue 330 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 2: to build a workforce for the telecommunications sector. It's been 331 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 2: neglected for some time. So we said we want to 332 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 2: be able to build up our capacity and ultimate aim 333 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 2: is we don't want to be dependent on government. We 334 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 2: want to be self standard, we want to stand on own, 335 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 2: we want to be independent. We want to add value 336 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 2: to the government and we want to add value to 337 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 2: New Zealand, and we want to do that through participating 338 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:52,120 Speaker 2: at greater levels than we've allowed in the past. And 339 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 2: so that was the blueprint for what the future might 340 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,400 Speaker 2: look like, and so we've been working on that. We 341 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 2: started a process of looking for opportunities use to invest 342 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 2: in the sector and a broad Tech Group was one 343 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 2: that popped up and met a number of the criteria 344 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 2: and so we signed an agreement. Interestingly, broad Tech Group, 345 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 2: we didn't realize that we'll have to sign it the 346 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 2: day that we signed with broad Tech. Broad Tech had 347 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 2: just on that very day, had its fiftieth birthday. So 348 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 2: it's a company that requires fifty years old in New Zealand. 349 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 2: And it started out with Radio Heneque, building the first 350 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 2: commercial antenna site for Radio HOGEG. So its genesis is 351 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 2: in the broadcasting and radio and television and then more 352 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 2: lately it's gotten too telecommunications. So we've had that just 353 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:45,640 Speaker 2: over a year now and supporting that and growing that organization, 354 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 2: and so that's been a fantastic acquisition. 355 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: It sure has people probably haven't heard as much about 356 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 1: broad Tech. It's sort of a behind the scenes provide 357 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: a little bit in some respects like Cordia, the state 358 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,120 Speaker 1: owned enterprise, it does a lot of broadcasting stuff as well, 359 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: does some stuff there. But now you have this organization 360 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: with what over one hundred staff. 361 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's roughly, I mean it varies, but including subcontracts, 362 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 2: is over one hundred staff and working right across the industry. 363 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 2: So not only in television and radio. I've up working 364 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 2: for the three molebil operators, but one or two degrees 365 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 2: that tower companies can exterin forty south ICG and currently 366 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 2: doing for MGC. 367 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: So you've got this what fifty megahertz chunk of five 368 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 1: G spectrum. There was some money involved as well that 369 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: allowed you to make that acquisition. So what's the plan 370 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: Now you've got this incredible resource. Tell us about some 371 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 1: of the projects that you have underway that ultimately are 372 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: going to lead to this becoming sustainable financially, you know, 373 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: a really solid business, but also is going to flow 374 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: back to MARI in terms of MARI development and opportunities 375 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: for career development. 376 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 2: When we, of course we're negotiating for access to five 377 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: G spectrum, of course, the natural response for a number 378 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 2: of people who is what the heck are you're going 379 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 2: to use it for. One of the things that we 380 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 2: said right from the very start is we think there's 381 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:14,360 Speaker 2: an opportunity to develop private five G networks. That's you know, 382 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 2: four G networks have been around for a while, but 383 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 2: the opportunity to play in the five G space was 384 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:24,719 Speaker 2: we thought was a natural place for us to go to. 385 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 2: We are not going to go and try and compete 386 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 2: and do another two degrees. We've done that job. What 387 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 2: we want to do now is look at some of 388 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 2: the other ways that we can help improve productivity, health 389 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 2: and safety using wildest technologies and particular g widest technologies. 390 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 2: So that was where that was our starting point. The 391 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 2: way in which the technology is configured is different because 392 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,959 Speaker 2: the use cases different. Here what mobile operators primarily get 393 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 2: their money from shipping data down to the devices, whereas 394 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 2: were the other way around. We want to ship data up. 395 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 2: Trying to manage configuration, which has been mandated here in 396 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 2: New Zealand, where we've done a lot of works. What 397 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 2: happens if you do try and change the way in 398 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 2: which the configuration works. How much does that create interference? 399 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 2: What are the impacts on the other operators? So we 400 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 2: did a lot of work in that space. So building 401 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 2: up our capacity and capability in the private five G 402 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 2: private networks was really important for us. And then going 403 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 2: on and investing in the space and putting our money 404 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 2: where our mouth was and going and winning a Centapore 405 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 2: was important for us because we believe that there was 406 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 2: the things that you can do with this technology that 407 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 2: you know, if you talk to the Centable guys, they're 408 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,719 Speaker 2: all about half and safety, make sure their people are 409 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 2: safe and how can they deploy technology. So they've tried 410 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 2: using the Meno mobile networks on the site, but it 411 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,919 Speaker 2: doesn't work for them because they've got a really great 412 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 2: park right next door to them. Every time some rugby 413 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 2: game or some concerts on, it sucks up all the 414 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 2: bandwidths and they're left with none. So private five G 415 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 2: networks is the way to go for them. 416 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: Wellington's one of the busiest ports in the country. Actually, 417 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: it's got all the ferries that comes through Bluebridge and 418 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: interil NERD's got the logging ships going out, container ships 419 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:13,360 Speaker 1: coming in. Incredibly busy, large campus there. As you say, 420 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: you've got the sky Stadium on one side, and I 421 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,640 Speaker 1: didn't realize as well, but when ships pull up there. 422 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: You've got these massive, big steel hulled ships there which 423 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: interfere with the mobile networks as well. So to actually 424 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 1: build your own network with your own cell towers on 425 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: the site, they will have exclusive use of that better 426 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,639 Speaker 1: than Wi Fi and not competing with others on the 427 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 1: public mobile network. 428 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,679 Speaker 2: That's right, and there's some particular challenges in that space. 429 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 2: You've got ship that comes in, you've got containers that 430 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:44,120 Speaker 2: gets plopped in front of the radios. It's a continuously 431 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,719 Speaker 2: changing environment. It's something that we'd like to spend some 432 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,360 Speaker 2: more time researching on as to how you can actually 433 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:54,640 Speaker 2: create a really good service inside a changing environment like that. 434 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 2: And so we just recently partnered up with aut to 435 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 2: look research project in which you can have configurrale antennas 436 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 2: rather than the static ones that we have at the moment. 437 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: This will be the first commercial private five G network. 438 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:13,919 Speaker 1: We've heard so much about these, mainly from the mobile vendors. 439 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: They've really been pushing them. Some of them have sort 440 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 1: of been put in place in other countries, mainly at 441 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: airport's big factories where they have a lot of devices 442 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: that need to connect in real time. So they want 443 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: low latency connections has been very slow to come to 444 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: New Zealand. But the resources you have, particularly with that 445 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 1: five G spectrum, that really gives you an advantage when 446 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: it comes to private five gen. 447 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 2: Well, yes it does, but it's not We're not relying 448 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 2: on that on its owning. We've still got to be innovative. 449 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:44,920 Speaker 2: We've still going to deliver a great product and a 450 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 2: great service. While the spectrum side of it is important, 451 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 2: in my mind, that shouldn't be the deciding vector. That's 452 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 2: the service that you're developing and providing, and so ultimately 453 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,959 Speaker 2: we just want to be the service provider providing innovative solutions. 454 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 2: We don't necessarily have to own the relationship with the 455 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 2: end customer. But what we do want to do is 456 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 2: to generate interest in this area and to generate opportunities. 457 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 2: So since the Centerble announcement, of course, now we've got 458 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 2: a whole range of boards around the country who are 459 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 2: all looking to do similar things, which is great. 460 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you aren't in competition necessarily with the big 461 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: three mobile operators. As you say, you know, you don't 462 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: need to own the end customer, and those guys have 463 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: a lot of customers already. So there's huge scope for 464 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 1: partnership there. 465 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 2: I guess, look, that's what that's our end game and 466 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 2: all of this, and from time to time we will 467 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 2: compete with the mobile operators I expect, but that's not 468 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 2: our fundamental strategies to go get to ed with. What 469 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 2: we do want to do is to generate interest. We 470 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 2: want to be able to be innovative. You know, the 471 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 2: mobile operators are facing a challenging time at the moment. 472 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,719 Speaker 2: They're having to continue to invest in new technologies as 473 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 2: they come along. In five G S eight RN would 474 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 2: of course still be the retorations over time, and then 475 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 2: of course there will be other spectrum bands that potentially 476 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 2: they mightey have to invest in. At the same time, 477 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 2: they've got a customer base that is wanting to pay 478 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:15,719 Speaker 2: less and expecting to get higher speeds and greater value 479 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,679 Speaker 2: out of what they're spending on telecommunications. And then you 480 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 2: have the other part of this is the vendor environment, 481 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 2: whereby of course you've got the geopolitical challenges with Huawei, 482 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 2: who have provided some kind of competitive tension. I guess 483 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 2: amongst the vendors now you're probably down to two major 484 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 2: vendors now, and then of course the move to cloud 485 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 2: based solutions and virtualized services, and of course the only way, 486 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 2: the only way that mobile operators long term are going 487 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 2: to be able to survive, I think is they need 488 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 2: to be thinking about how do we reduce our cost 489 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 2: of infrastructure, both in terms of their investment upfront and 490 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 2: their ongoing maintenance costs, so you know we want to 491 00:26:59,600 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 2: pay it. 492 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's brilliant, and we've got technologies like open ran, 493 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: you know, the radio access network being able to share 494 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: that not everyone having to build their own one, as 495 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 1: you say, infrastructure sharing. When you talk to the telcos, 496 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: they're like, you know, this is a low margin business 497 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: and they thought five G would be the one that 498 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,159 Speaker 1: added a premium. It hasn't worked out that way, so 499 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,199 Speaker 1: they're going to be reluctant to invest in six G 500 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,359 Speaker 1: unless it's going to lead to a big revenue boost 501 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: for them. 502 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:29,439 Speaker 2: That's right, and thinking about how that ecosystem fits together. 503 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 2: So open ram is a really good example. You know, 504 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 2: how how do you mix and match. There's some real 505 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 2: advantages in buying all of your product from one vendor, 506 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 2: but there's also some advantages and going open rounds such 507 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,719 Speaker 2: as Vada Phones doing over in Europe. So our guys 508 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 2: have been experimenting and can now connect a range of 509 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 2: different calls to radios. We have a range of different radios, 510 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 2: We've got three different calls, and we can mix and 511 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 2: match all of those radios with all of our call 512 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 2: with three different calls. So that's the stuff that takes 513 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 2: a bit of time to develop. Yeah, and then of 514 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 2: course it's about then matching what are the technologies that 515 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 2: best match the use case that we're trying to solve 516 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 2: this particular project. 517 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: So hopefully this becomes a really financially successful venture and 518 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: therefore the proceeds the dividends of that will go back 519 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 1: to MARII. In terms of someone who's sitting in Northland 520 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: or the East Cape at the moment and can afford broadband, 521 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 1: it's really expensive. That's where the digital divide still really exists. 522 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,199 Speaker 1: Is there anything on the roadmap where you might be 523 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 1: able to use that spectrum and your infrastructure expertise to 524 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: provide low cost or no cost broadband maybe via EWE 525 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 1: organizations to people who are left out at the moment. 526 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 2: That's an ongoing challenge to solve that digital equity problem. 527 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 2: I am a little bit cautious to take too much 528 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 2: of that on our own shoulders, because at the end 529 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 2: of the day, this is a government responsibility to make 530 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 2: sure that all New Zealanders get equitable access to telecommunications. 531 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 2: What we can do is think about what are some 532 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 2: of the other innovative solutions that will help. So one 533 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 2: of the things that we have been thinking about is 534 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 2: what happens in times of climate events. How can we 535 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 2: help communities build a resilient tele communications of a structure 536 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 2: they can turn on when their existing one fails for 537 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 2: whatever reason that might be. And so we've been experimenting 538 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 2: and building some prototypes around a very small mobile tem 539 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 2: that can automatically stand up a mobile network or a 540 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 2: Wi Fi network. It's low power ideally for us, that 541 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 2: will be run for months on end without the intervention. 542 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 2: So we do quite a bit of work to think 543 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 2: about what that might look like. And I think that 544 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 2: if we can, as we continue to iterate on the 545 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 2: work that we're doing in that space, there will be 546 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: opportunities for us to provide communities with the ability to 547 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 2: be stand alone. Because one of the things that we 548 00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 2: had cyclone Gabriel, we had that resilient We talked about 549 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 2: how do you provide more resilience. The problem is that 550 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,360 Speaker 2: one way that what to provide resilience is what more 551 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 2: batteries and what more generators? In more generators and you 552 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 2: only shift your supply chain problem to gasoline as opposed 553 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 2: to power. Having a solution which is only driven from 554 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 2: one end, and my view doesn't work. You need to 555 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 2: be able to give communities their own ability to be 556 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 2: able to resilient in their own space and not have 557 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 2: to rely completely on command and control from a central point. 558 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 2: And so that's what I'd like to see is that 559 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 2: we engage communities more in those things that are important 560 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 2: to them. 561 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: There's there young Mari people out there who want to 562 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: get into technology. You are the only person in the 563 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 1: class as an electrical engineer all those decades ago. But 564 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 1: now potentially if people are interested in a career in telecommunications, 565 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: they have a pathway. 566 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 2: Now. 567 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: Obviously there still good courses in that getting a job 568 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 1: there are the three telcos, but particularly for MARI engineers, 569 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:06,840 Speaker 1: you've got an organization here that part of its remit 570 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: is to support that workforce. That's a huge opportunity. 571 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 2: So that's the part that we haven't talked too much about. 572 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 2: And that's what is the value for MARII out of 573 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 2: all this, because we're not doing this for sharhold returns. 574 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 2: So we're doing this because we think there's some value 575 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 2: that we can return to mari and to New Zealanders 576 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 2: are particularly the industry. So if you look at radio 577 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 2: engineers typically in New Zealand, they have all been trained, well, 578 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 2: we're almost all near retirement. We're training through the Post 579 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 2: Office days and BCL and all those government organizations. We 580 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 2: haven't had those training programs in place for a long time, 581 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 2: and so we're short of people with those skills and capability, 582 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 2: and they tend to be filled by bringing people offshore, 583 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 2: which is fine, but you've also got to be building 584 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 2: your own locals who have that opportunity to play the space. Now, 585 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 2: if you look at the engineering schools today, people thought 586 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 2: there used to be there a very different place and 587 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 2: really really pleased, you know, want to walk into these 588 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 2: engineering schools to see the range of people that are 589 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 2: there now as opposed to what it used to look like. 590 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 2: So it's fantastic. So what we're doing is that we've 591 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 2: got in place our relationships with tertiary educations to try 592 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 2: and promote the idea of telecommunications as a valid career path, 593 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 2: and of course there are a whole range of different 594 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 2: employment pathways. We are focusing at the moment on the 595 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:31,320 Speaker 2: engineering site, but that's not the only place that they 596 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,680 Speaker 2: will be focusing. So for example, we've got two engineers 597 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 2: that we pulled out we just completed their engineering degree 598 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 2: Canterbury too young many and we've brought them up to 599 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 2: Auckland and they are now becoming experts on deploying five G. 600 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 2: That's something that is you wouldn't get anywhere else. What 601 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,440 Speaker 2: we want to do is to work with the industry 602 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 2: and come up with a program of internships that allows 603 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 2: people to get around a build experience in the industry. 604 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 2: So first of all, attract people into the industry, and 605 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 2: there's a whole pipeline. It's all the way back to 606 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 2: making sure that we've got the right students who are 607 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 2: being service schooled in STEM subjects, who are getting through 608 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 2: into the tertiary training, given the right work experience and 609 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:15,640 Speaker 2: given a positive work experience, and then showing the choice 610 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 2: of roles and the choice of industry participants. So each 611 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 2: of the big em and o's and the big telcos 612 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 2: in our space they're all doing stuff in the space. 613 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 2: It's great, but there is no integrated approach to doing this, 614 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 2: unlike the energy sector, which does have an integrated approach 615 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 2: to attracting people into their sector. That's the role that 616 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,800 Speaker 2: we hope that we can work with the telcos and 617 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 2: facilitate these opportunities. That's one part is the workforce and 618 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,680 Speaker 2: of course the innovation space. We want to continue to 619 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 2: think about how do you use wildest technologies to help 620 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 2: solve real world problems. How our argument is this is 621 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 2: that you give us access to the resources should have 622 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 2: access to spectrum, we will build platforms upon which people 623 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 2: use that resource to innovate and create IP. And this 624 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:08,520 Speaker 2: is the bigger you know, New Zealand Inc. Argument is 625 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 2: that thinking about spectrum resource, our spectrum resource, not just 626 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 2: as something that can be used to provide some services. 627 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,759 Speaker 2: Consumers will pay some money to the companies and you know, 628 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 2: will be sweet thinking about how do we use that 629 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 2: access the spectrum to generate further IP which is of 630 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 2: interest to people off shore. So ultimately, long term, the 631 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 2: goal is to be innovative enough that you know, we 632 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 2: can build some companies who generate offshore revenue as a 633 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:39,960 Speaker 2: result of our skills and exertise here in your seeland. 634 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:41,680 Speaker 2: That the great thing about New Zealand is will be 635 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 2: small enough and edgile enough to do this. Trying to 636 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,919 Speaker 2: do this in other countries is really, really hard. 637 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 1: I just want to say, you know, congratulations on all 638 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 1: our hard work paying off. Now you've got a sustainable business, 639 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 1: You've got in perpetuity. You've got this great tongue in 640 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: the form of Malori Spectrum. You're getting engineers that probably 641 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 1: wouldn't have had an opportunity before going into the industry. 642 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:08,439 Speaker 1: It looks like a great opportunity. You've got the five 643 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 1: G private network going live at Centerport. You a first 644 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 1: in this country. I guess you've laid the groundwork for 645 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 1: what could be a really successful venture that actually really 646 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:20,799 Speaker 1: does have impact for Mari. 647 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:23,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, we look, we're looking forward to I mean that 648 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 2: the technology stuff is really great, but what's important for 649 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:29,719 Speaker 2: us is thinking about what's best for Mary and what's 650 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 2: best for alt at all, and that's really where we 651 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 2: want to play. 652 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: So thanks to Anthony Royle for coming on the podcast. 653 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: Some details about what Tuiteya is working on in the 654 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:49,399 Speaker 1: show notes. You'll find them in the podcast section at 655 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,319 Speaker 1: Business deesk dot co dot nz. Get in touch with 656 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: your feedback, ideas and guest suggestions. Email me on Peter 657 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:59,320 Speaker 1: at Peter Griffin dot co dot nz or you'll easily 658 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: find me on linkin Blue Sky. Feel free to slide 659 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,920 Speaker 1: into my DMS. Next week, Sarah Box, one of the 660 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:10,840 Speaker 1: countries leading artificial intelligence policy experts, joins us on the show. 661 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:14,760 Speaker 1: She's helping the government shape its approach to AI following 662 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 1: a stint in the US last year that took in 663 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:21,839 Speaker 1: Trump's victory in the November presidential election, which ushered in 664 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:25,760 Speaker 1: a significant change in direction for AI policy and regulation 665 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 1: in the US, which has truly global ramifications. If you're 666 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,680 Speaker 1: listening on iHeartRadio, you can also subscribe to the podcast 667 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:36,759 Speaker 1: in your podcast app of choice. Leave a review too 668 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 1: if you like the show, and we'll see you back 669 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 1: here next Thursday with me Peter Griffin for another episode 670 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:44,759 Speaker 1: of the Business of Tech. 671 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:45,600 Speaker 2: Catch it in