InternetNZ to host technical Internet conference

InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) will be hosting a one day conference in July, aimed at promoting technical discussions of New Zealand’s fibre future.

The Internet Technical Architecture Conference (InTAC) is set down for Tuesday, 10 July 2012 at Auckland’s SkyCity Convention Centre. It aims to bring together all those involved with New Zealand’s nascent fibre network to discuss and debate the many and varied technical issues involved in building it and driving uptake.

The Conference will feature an international keynote address, brief presentations and a series of in-depth, facilitated discussion sessions. A range of issues related to the technical architecture of ultra-fast broadband will be discussed, including connectivity vs. content architectures and UFB product specifications. Technical policy will also be a focus with ‘Keeping Local Traffic Local’ (peering and interconnect) and domestic and international IP transit examined. The list of topics will be finalised in consultation with participants prior to the conference.

The international keynote is Lev Gonick, the Chief Information Officer of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, USA. Case Western funded a trial initiative to build out 1Gbps FTTH in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, and Gonick is actively involved with the "Gig U” project – a group of North American research universities working toward accelerating the offering of ultra high-speed network services to their communities.

Confirmed sponsors so far include the Ministry of Economic Development.

InternetNZ Chief Executive Vikram Kumar says the Government’s Ultra-fast Broadband Initiative is a once-in-a-generation infrastructure undertaking, and the InTAC Conference is a prime opportunity for those involved in developing fibre policy, those building the network, and those using the network to talk to one another about its technical underpinnings.

Invitations are being extended to all those involved in New Zealand’s fibre deployment, including Local Fibre Companies, Chorus, Retail Service Providers, Telecommunications firms, Content Providers, Technologists, and Government.

Participating in the inTAC Conference costs $60, inclusive of GST. Those interested in attending are encouraged to register their interest now by emailing rsvp@internetnz.net.nz as places are limited. More information is available at http://internetnz.net.nz/inTAC.

The timing of the conference is just before NetHui 2012, a separate three day conference on Internet-related issues from 11th to 13th July 2012 also being organised by InternetNZ at the same venue. While NetHui is for the wider community to discuss the social, economic and cultural impacts of the Internet, InTAC is complementary in that it will focus on the technical architecture and technical policy issues related to ultra-fast broadband and fibre networks.