Forum Archive Index - January 2000

["Ben Dutton" <bendutton@sharechat.co.nz>]

I just found this little tidbit of information on the Netguide website
http://www.netguide.co.nz/  in their news section.


"Playing a different tune >>You may remember Steve Clarkson from 80s Kiwi
band the Narcs, but the Aucklander has moved with the times. His company,
SurfingTheNet (http://www.surfingthenet.co.nz/ ), is introducing e-zmail
kiosks to New Zealand.

Originally developed in Canada by a company called Infotouch, the kiosks
enable pay-per-use Internet access from public places such as airport
lounges and hotel foyers. Each kiosk is equipped with a video camera
allowing users to record short videos of themselves which they can attach to
emails.

Currently there are about 6000 kiosks installed in North America, UK,
Germany and France. Clarkson hopes to sell between 12 and 20 kiosks, priced
at around $15,000 (incl GST) by the end of the year. ISP ICONZ will be the
exclusive ISP for the kiosks in New Zealand."


This of course is relevant because the business plan of E-Phone (EPH)
involves setting up "a network of sites offering Internet access to the
general public" which "enables a user to buy Internet access (time) from any
E-phone terminal and use this time on any of the terminals in the E-phone
network".

To my knowledge no E-Phone terminals have been set up in New Zealand yet --
the introduction of SurfingTheNet can be clearly seen as potential
competition to E-Phone's plans.

Interesting.

Benjamin Dutton

(Disclosure: I do not own shares in E-Phone)




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