Power to the people

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01 August 2007

View from the Antipodes: Paul Reynolds, the head of BT Wholesale, becomes CEO of Telecom New Zealand in September. Over the last decade, the power in communications has transferred from the supplier to the consumer, he argues, as he closes the book on more than two decades with BT

A decade ago, the telecoms industry was on a high. The advent of the internet, new IP-based technologies and the mainstreaming of software as the key building block in service development suggested that, as an industry, we could look forward to a radically deeper and enriching role in helping people manage their personal and professional lives.
Then the bubble burst, the industry retrenched and introspection followed. But the technical and philosophical foundations for the optimism that underpinned the dotcom craze did not disappear. The internet, as a platform where people could transact, learn and be heard in new ways, in more democratic ways, remained.
Then broadband became the industry's new focus and created the impetus for major social and economic transformation, and allowed people to become more self-sufficient. In the UK, more than 50% of all homes subscribe to broadband today.

People now organise their personal and professional lives online,...

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