At the recent Turnstone launch of its new converged business network, keynote speaker and opposition leader, John Key, said, “Telecommunications are the modern roads.  If we’re serious about communicating, we need to work out a way to get from here to there.”Turnstone’s seriousness is evidence by the new network, which is quality assured by IBM. Barbara Smith, Turnstone’s business manager, welcomed everyone to the launch by saying she had been looking forward to the occasion for two years.  Turnstone’s converged business network provides integrated voice, data, security, video messaging and other telecommunications services over a managed data network.Turnstone utilises a high speed fibre backbone between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.  The network was built using Cisco integrated services routers with extensive built-in security and Quality of Service features to manage network resources.  Benefits include lower call costs and reduced travel costs, as well as easily managed presence and accessibility.  Peter Naylor, sales manager for Turnstone, said that the ability to communicate over a converged business network provides one solution, one standard and one bill.  By using the converged network, you can be reached on your DDI even when you’re not in the office.“There are now greater opportunities to reduce costs,” continued Naylor.  “Turnstone’s converged business network allows for better management tools, improved customer service and flexibility.  Imagine your phone, mobile, work station, instant messenger, email, web, and video all running over the same network simply and without hassle.”Geoff Laurie, Cisco’s New Zealand country manager, said that new technology is pushing out the front of what is possible, and that nowhere is this more exciting that in the communications arena.  “How people communicate and how organisations connect is going to change more in the next five years than they have in the last 100 years,” Laurie claimed.  There is huge potential for productivity and savings.  The Channel joins Geoff Laurie on congratulating Turnstone on its courage and foresight.