Internet NZ and AUT recognise Managed Network excellence
N4L’s Managed Network has been selected as as a finalist for the Australia and New Zealand Internet Awards (ANZIAs) and the AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards.
More than half a million students and teachers across New Zealand are now using N4L’s Managed Network to support their learning, with schools continuing to connect to the government-funded service well ahead of schedule. These numbers include more than 525,000 students and 37,000 teachers from 1720+ schools (nearly 70% of all New Zealand schools).
Built to accommodate 800,000+ users, the Managed Network provides fast and predictable internet with uncapped data; web filtering and network security services. This includes firewall services, performance monitoring and a full helpdesk support service. Schools are funded for their connection packages.
The Managed Network is a finalist in the Access & Digital Skills category. N4L is one of four finalists, two from Australia and two from New Zealand. This year the awards will be hosted in Auckland, with winners announced 27 August.
A collaboration between Internet NZ and Australian Domain Administration (auDA), the ANZIAs recognise organisations, businesses and individuals that excel in delivering accessible, innovative, informative and secure resources to a diverse and wide community, on the internet – both in Australia and New Zealand.
AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards
Recognised for excellence in the Government category, N4L will join finalists across nine other categories at this year’s awards. Now into their tenth year the AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards are a national performance measure for New Zealand business support organisations. AUT Business awards winners will be named on 29 October
More than 1,720 schools connected
The company has signed more than 2,000 contract with a schools to initiate services, with more than 9x% registering to use the Managed Network when it is available to them. An interactive map of all participating N4L schools can be viewed here, with all schools being able to connect by the end of next year.
“Feedback from schools, the government, media and our tech partners has been overwhelmingly positive,” says CEO John Hanna. “Surveys reveal 94% of the education sector is satisfied or very satisfied with their transition to the Managed Network and the support they’ve received from our helpdesk.”
Mr Hanna says the Managed Network’s design does not exist within any other sector of New Zealand, and research conducted prior to its build suggests the implementation process may be a world-first.
“It’s about supporting schools transitioning to more technology-based learning environments, helping ensure their students can benefit from technology to achieve their best now to prepare them for their future, no matter where they go to school in NZ.”
This has been a big year of awards recognition for the Crown-owned company. Last month, N4L’s online learning hub Pond won the Hi-Tech Award for the most “innovative initiative.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Julie Landry, N4L Communications, 09 222 0142 or [email protected]
About N4L
N4L (Network for Learning) is a Crown company formed to provide all New Zealand students and teachers equitable access to high quality internet services and dynamic digital content for learning. The aim is to improve educational outcomes by enabling new learning opportunities presented by digital technologies and the government’s investment in ultra-fast broadband (UFB).
The company is achieving this by building a Managed Network especially designed for schools and an online learning hub called Pond, which won “Most Innovative Initiative” at the 2015 Hi-Tech awards last month (the Managed Network was a finalist for the Public Sector award). Together, these initiatives are about investing in our young people, digitally empowering their education for a future-ready, world-ready Aotearoa New Zealand.