As Carrier Relations Manager at Internode, John's role is to identify and actively push for Internode and Agile Communications to reach their full potential as telecommunications barriers tumble in the Internet age.
He is an active advocate for Agile's DSLAM deployment which has given Australia its first ADSL2+ broadband services, which Internode badges as Extreme Broadband. This is an Internet service that can run as fast as 24 Mbps - many times faster than traditional Australian broadband!
John also passionately pushed for Internode to extend its national First Tier Network to reach the US, the heart of the Internet, to ensure the company has end-to-end independence for delivering business-class broadband to its customers.
"When I started here over five years ago, our vision was for Internode to become independent - and that has finally happened", he says.
Focused on constructing and extending Internode's independence as Australia's most innovative broadband services provider, John is the mastermind behind the extension of Internode's fibre network. "Internode is a growing company so I've had many roles to fill", he recalls.
"Our international network is one of the really great feats we've achieved. With our links into the heart of LA and San Jose, there are six major parties including four different carriers and two different co-location service providers to deal with. The implementation of our DSLAMs around Australia means that every piece of network operation on our network, from here to the US, is controlled and maintained by Internode and not other service providers."
John's passion for technology began after school when he and two friends, one of whom is now Hostworks CEO Marty Gauvin, started their own IT company. GCL Systems successfully developed two main products - a multi-user version of the MS DOS operating system and a device that enabled visually impaired people to use computers.
Whilst studying Mathematics and Computing Science at the University of Adelaide, he set up an ISP business in the spare bedroom of his home. "There's probably someone down on Kensington Road wondering why on earth there are 30 separate phone lines running into the room", he admits.
Building a home ISP was the foundation that led to a partnership in iiNet SA and later becoming General Manager of Chariot Internet. In 1999 John moved to Perth to assist in the successful float of iiNet Ltd by serving as Operations Manager. With the birth of his first child, he returned to work in Adelaide for Internode in 2000.
When not at work, John spends his free time with his wife and two children. "I met my wife through my interest in horse riding and although we don't get to do much of that anymore, we still enjoy travel and snow skiing and because of the kids, anything that involves The Wiggles."
