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

• CTL Comet V-FAST (28kbps) modems used on analogue leased line service. CTL agrees to design and build a rack-mountable version; first example installed at VUW.
• "Internet Administrator" position advertised.
• Revenue $250k, 25 leased-line customers.
• VUW Finance eyes burgeoning Internet revenues, expecting CSC budget demands to be met. Something Needs To Be Done.
• 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
• CyberNet? incident: CyberNet? Ltd, and Auckland ISP, deliberately floods another Auckland ISP, Iprolink during a demonstration. Both ISPs are connected via University if Auckland. UoA disconnects Cybernet, but is uncomfortable about long term viability of Internet operations. Something Needs To Be Done.
• 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). 3 antennas on Cotton Building provide coverage over most of Wellington CBD (although some Te Aro sites require very tall poles to "see" over neighboring buildings).

1997

• NetLink formed as separate company.
• NetRadio? deployed from roof of Hotel Grand Chancellor, tallest building in Christchurch.
• Colin Wallis appointed as CEO.
• Founding management team, DonStokes & Stuart Wilson resign.

1998

• Colin Wallis resigns.

1999

• October: NetLink sold to Telstra NZ.