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Extremely brief history of NetLink
1985
- VUW Comp Sci provides UUCP access for email/news
1989
- VUW connects to Internet, permits other agencies to connect if hardware comms costs covered. No traffic charging in place.
1992:
- U of Waikato starts charging for international traffic, rather than relying on cost sharing
- VUW holds garage sale to fund a cisco 516CS terminal server to replace pile of PC routers
- WCC traffic exceeds 1GB/month, with exponential growth at 100% per month. Something Needs To Be Done.
- December: VUW Internetworking Group formed, charges set.
1993:
- April: Bills sent out to 7 customers
- Revenue $100k for year (before expenses)
1994
- Revenue $250k
- VUW Finance eyes burgeoning Internet revenues, expecting CSC budget demands to be met. Something Needs To Be Done.
- "Internet Administrator" position advertised.
- CTL Comet V-FAST (28kbps) modems used on analogue leased line service. CTL agrees to design a rack-mountable version; first example installed at VUW.
- Discussions with Victoria Link Ltd (VUW-owned company) to separate Internet operations from CSC.
1995
- NetLink formed as division of Victoria Link.
- April: NetLink offers dialup PPP, email and web services, on top of form Internetworking Group leased-line service
- August: NetLink takes over management of University of Auckland Internet services
1996
- Expansion into Christchurch (leased-line & dialup) and Dunedin (leased-line only)
- October: NetLink sponsors General Election web coverage
- Deployment of NetRadio? wireless Internet service using Proxim equipment (500 kbps)
1997
- NetLink formed as separate company
- NetRadio? deployed in Christchurch
- Colin Wallis appointed as CEO
- Founding management team, DonStokes & Stuart Wilson resign.
1999