TCF Broadsheet - May

• Ralph's Message
• Welcoming New TCF Independent Chair – Richard Westlake
• Update: Copyright Legislation – MED Review
• Update: Customer Transfer Code
• Update: TCF Dialogue
  

Ralph Chivers, TCF CEO

Ralph's Message

When a former school teacher is replaced by a former fighter pilot one might be tempted to conclude that things have taken a turn for the worse!   

In the space of little more than a week, the TCF publicly welcomed on board our new Independent Chair, Richard Westlake (former RAF Harrier pilot) and announced the departure our inaugural CEO, yours truly (former Otago Boys’ HS teacher).  To the disappointment of the conspiracy theorists in our industry, I am sorry to say that the timing was purely co-incidental.

Following the departure of the TCF’s long-standing Chair, Malcolm Alexander, in October last year, the TCF undertook an extensive search for a replacement.  This was no easy task, as Malcolm had become such an integral part of the Forum, helping shape and lead it during its formative years.  In April we decided to offer the role to Richard and – despite having had a fulsome briefing from Malcolm – he agreed to accept the role!  Richard’s in-depth governance experience and long history of successful Chairmanship roles will be of significant benefit to the TCF during our next phase of development.  Welcome on board Richard - we look forward to your contribution.

Speaking for myself, the opportunity to take a leading role in the development and implementation of the government’s Broadband Investment Initiative was an opportunity too attractive to turn down.  It is easily the most significant intervention in the telecommunications sector since the May 2006 reform package, and will lay a foundation for the future of NZ’s digital economy.  Like any foundation it is absolutely critical to get the design right, and it is this challenge that I am looking forward to getting my teeth into.  I am grateful for the many messages of support I have received since the announcement of my appointment to this new role. 

I have enjoyed my time at the TCF very much, and there is a lot that I will miss.  The CEO role is very challenging: you need the diplomacy of Kissinger, the patience of St Theresa, the determination of Hillary and the hide of a rhinoceros.  Unfortunately you end up resembling a hybrid of all four!  But the opportunity to be involved in issues that are at the heart of the industry is very rewarding.  Looking back over the last 18 months I am very proud of what the TCF has achieved and how it has continued to grow and develop as an organisation.   And I’m pleased to have been part of helping make that happen. 

The TCF is now at an interesting stage of its development, having experienced something of a golden period over the past three years.  In many respects, the TCF’s successes have been driven off a programme defined by external influences.  The challenge for the TCF going forward will be to define its purpose, its activity and its objectives in an era where the drivers need to increasingly come from within. 

My sincere thanks go to Malcolm Alexander, the TCF Board, Susan Wells and her team at ONZL, as well as the staff of all TCF members for making me welcome, for supporting and encouraging me, for giving me some unforgettable experiences (and unforgettable turns of phrase!) and for giving me the flexibility to explore the regions beyond the TCF’s traditional boundaries.

I wish you all the very best for the future, and I have no doubt we will continue to see plenty of each other.

Welcoming New TCF Independent Chair – Richard Westlake

The TCF was pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Westlake as Independent Chair of the Forum earlier this month.

As Director of Westlake Consulting Limited, Richard heads a company which is a leading adviser in organisational governance, strategy, and structure both within New Zealand and worldwide. In the last few years alone he has completed major consulting assignments in the ICT sector both in New Zealand and overseas.  With over fifteen years in chairmanship and director roles, he brings with him a wealth of governance and organisational development experience to the TCF.

Richard's career began in the mid-1970s, training as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force after graduating from Oxford with an MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. In 1976 he came to New Zealand and held a variety of merchant banking positions here and in Australia until the early 1990s. What has led him to his current interest in corporate and organisational governance?

Richard explains, "After serving on and chairing a few Boards - and also reporting to a few - I began to see the huge difference that good governance can bring to an organisation - and more importantly the risks an organisation runs if its Board is ineffective. Fortunately plenty of other people began to see the same, but sometimes, as we know, just a bit too late. As a result, the market has grown quite rapidly in the last few years!"

On his new role as TCF’s Chair, Richard said, “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the Forum building on their solid track record of successes in promoting the industry’s growth and development.”

“The telecommunications industry is going through a period of fundamental change, where competitive models are transforming and adjacent industries are converging. It is a sector characterised by rapid change, technical innovation and incredible passion.”

In addition to his new role with the TCF, Richard is currently an independent director of Kiwibank and chairs the Standards Council of New Zealand.

Outside his time in the professional arena, Richard likes to escape to his bach at Peka Peka Beach, an hour north of Wellington - and to use the services of various telecommunications carriers to stay in touch with his adult children, three of whom live in various parts of the northern hemisphere.

Update: Copyright Legislation – MED Review

When the Government made a decision in March 2009 to halt the introduction of section 92A, an amendment to the Copyright Act 1994, it also announced a review of the legislation would follow. This policy work would be undertaken by the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) who administer the Copyright Act.

The MED has now begun its policy development process, which involves working closely with a Working Group through June 2009 in developing a set of proposals/questions, from which the Ministry will seek input from targeted stakeholders in July.

Update: Customer Transfer Code

The Customer Transfer Code Working Party (CTWP) was established in September 2008 to review and amend the Customer Transfer Code following feedback received as part of the TCF two year code review policy.  Key areas of the Code that needed consideration were:

1. Improvement to the process of managing transfers between parties.
2. The need for a process to cater for situations where there are multiple parties involved in a Customer Transfer, e.g. due to Operational Separation.
3. The method of communications of actual customer transfers, including how parties are notified and who is notified.
4. Monitoring of compliance with the Code.
5. Other issues associated with Telecom’s Operational Separation.

The CTWP agreed to review the overall process and to propose a solution that would solve the majority of process-related issues raised and this is where most of the time over the last seven months has been spent.   After much thought, debate, re-work and discussion the CTWP hopes to have the amended draft Customer Transfer Code out for public consultation in July.

Update: TCF Dialogue 

The Dialogue NGN Consult programme is run by Telecom Wholesale in association with the Telecommunication Carriers Forum (TCF). It focuses on the development of the Next Generation Network (NGN). The NGN Consult programme was established to capture insights and requirements from customers, and discuss issues relating to the next generation network (NGN) operational and technical development. 

The NGN Consult programme has three strands: Product; IT and Processes; and IP Interconnection.

Recent briefings include a Dialogue Executive briefing held in April 2009 for customers entitled “Laying the foundations for the future.”  This event highlighted aspects that service providers would need to consider as Telecom Wholesale moved towards next generation products and its new systems and processes.  

Presentations were given by Paul Hayes, general manager Product, on product migration; and by Scott McCallum, CIO, on system and process transformation.  These presentations and more information on customer briefings are available online at http://www.telecomwholesale.co.nz/customerbriefing

Events coming up in the Dialogue NGN Consult sessions are:

11 Jun 2009:  Dialogue IT & Process Discussion Forum

25 Jun 2009: Dialogue Product Discussion Forum

Migration plan for Data products including grandfathering; Premises wiring update (TCF); and Ethernet Product Roadmap update. 

Contact Information

If you require further information please contact the Forum Administrator. 

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