Our History

A history of Datacom.

  1. Datacom Timeline

    A timeline detailing Datacom's growth as a company, and the technological innovations that have driven us to adapt and succeed from the very beginning.
  2. First minicomputer

    1962

    Lincoln Laboratory builds the LINC PC, to the great interest of the scientific community. It is widely accepted as the first minicomputer.

  3. Digital, or DEC, releases PDP-5

    1963

    Digital, or DEC, uses a stripped-down version of the basic LINC design concept to produce the PDP-5, which was low-cost for the time at US$27,000. Only 116 PDP-5s were produced, but the PDP-5 went on to inspire a number of better-known computers.

  4. ICL 1900 series computers

    1965

    ICL 1900 series computers are released – The 1902 mainframe computer ordered by Datacom is from International Computers and Tabulators, one of the few non-American competitors to IBM. 

  5. Datacom was founded

    1965

    Young accountant Paul Hargreaves founds Datacom in Christchurch, along with the late Dr. Bernard Battersby. The company is then called Computer Bureau Limited. A group of clients put up the original capital for the company - £30,000 - and an order is placed for an ICL 1902 computer, which doesn’t arrive in New Zealand for a year.

  6. Expands into Wellington

    1968

    The company becomes CBL, and expands into Wellington. It forms around a group of local companies, which become shareholders.

  7. Expands into Hamilton

    1969

    The company expands into Hamilton.

  8. Expands into Auckland

    1970

    Hargreaves leaves his family’s accounting firm to become a full-time executive for CBL. The company also expands into Auckland through the acquisition of the Fletcher Computer Bureau.

  9. Holding company established

    1971

    A holding company is established – today known as Datacom Group. The holding company takes up shares in the four separate companies in Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland. Hargreaves becomes the executive director for the holding company.

  10. Commercial Microprocessors

    1971

    Intel revolutionises computing by releasing the first commercial microprocessors. Made computers smaller and faster.

  11. Home Computing

    1977

     

    Pre-assembled computers such as the Apple II began hitting the market, making home computing accessible.

  12. Oracle's first SQL

    1979

    Oracle offers the first commercial SQL relational database management system.

  13. MS-DOS

    1981

    MS-DOS, the first Microsoft operating system, is released on the IBM Personal Computer.
  14. Datacom introduces User-11

    1981

    Datacom introduces User-11, the 1st 4GL seen in the NZ market. The software development business flourishes. 

  15. DEC home PCs

    1983

    DEC responds to the IBM PC by releasing three of its own home computers.

  16. Microsoft launches Windows 1.0

    1983

    Mirosoft launches the first Windows operating system, Windows 1.0.

    Image used with permission from Microsoft.

  17. Datacom brings Oracle database technology to NZ

    1983

    Datacom brings Oracle database technology to NZ for the NZ Dairy Company (now Fonterra).

  18. Name changed from CBL to Datacom

    1984

    In 1984, the name of the company is changed from CBL to Datacom. 

  19. Internet

    1989

    An international internet cable is built that connects the University of Waikato to the world. The first ISP, Actrix, launches in November and offers dial-up internet services to New Zealanders.
  20. Merger with CCL

    1989

    Datacom merges with another computing services company, called CCL, and adds payroll and facilities management divisions.

  21. First large outsourcing contract

    1991

    Datacom signs its first large outsourcing contract in Auckland with Telecom Directories.

  22. Datacom Wellington merges with NZ Post's IT department

    1992

    Datacom Wellington merges with the IT department of NZ Post boosting staff numbers by 90 – its first large outsourcing deal in Wellington.

  23. Datacom opens its first office in Australia (Sydney)

    1994

    The company opens an office in Sydney – its first in Australia – to expand its NZ-based services to Microsoft Australia. 

  24. Expansion into Asia

    1996

    Datacom expands into Asia by building contact centres in Malaysia.

  25. First managed services contract in AU

    1997

    The first managed services contract in Australia is signed with P&O Services and Datacom gets its first Sydney datacentre.

  26. Personal Computing

    2000s

     

    The widespread availability of personal computers and broadband internet means cloud computing begins to gain in popularity. 

  27. Purchased GlobalCenter

    2004

    Datacom purchases a second Australian datacentre, GlobalCenter, in South Melbourne.

  28. Operation established in QLD through acquisition of NetOptions

    2005

    Operations are established in QLD through the acquisition of Brisbane service provider NetOptions.

  29. Datacom expands into South Australia

    2006

    Datacom moves into South Australia.

  30. Expands into Western Australia

    2007

    Datacom acquires a third datacentre in Sydney, through Hansen Professional Services, and acquires a company called Relate to extend application and web capability. It also expands into Western Australia. 

  31. iPhone

    2007

    Apple launches the first iPhone, and begins the era of the smartphone. Smartphones quickly become one of the biggest product categories in consumer technology. Later, Apple also launches the first iPad and popularises tablet computing. 

  32. Expansion into Townsville

    2007

     

    Datacom expands into Townsville in Northern Queensland after the acquisition of Agire Pty.

  33. Orbit data centre opens, expansion into the Philippines

    2009

    Datacom expands into the Philippines. It also opens its Orbit datacentre on Auckland’s North Shore. 

  34. Perth data centre opened, Christchurch data centre opens a week before September quake

    2010

    Datacom’s Christchurch data centre opens a week before the big September quake and stays open throughout the thousands that follow. A data centre is also established in Perth.

  35. Datacom launches VMware Cloud

    22 November 2011

    Datacom launches VMware Cloud. Late in the year the company opens a technology centre in Queensland.

  36. Superannuation

    2012

    New Zealand Post sells its 35 percent stake in Datacom to the New Zealand Superannuation Fund.

    The New Zealand Superannuation Fund invests globally in order to help pre-fund New Zealanders’ universal superannuation entitlements. The Fund is managed by a Crown entity, the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation.

    1. “We are pleased with our investment in Datacom and the gains it has made in the IT market this year. Datacom is a hugely successful and innovative New Zealand owned company that values trust, strong relationships and being at the forefront of new technologies. Datacom is well suited to the Fund’s long-term, growth-oriented investment approach, and we look forward to its continued success." - Adrian Orr, NZ Superannuation Fund CEO.
  37. Datacom acquires Victoria business

    2012

    Datacom acquired a specialist human capital management and SAP consulting business in Victoria which enhances Datacom’s enterprise people, payroll and talent management portfolio in the region.

  38. Kapua Opens, Asia contact centre business sold

    6 March 2013

    Hamilton datacentre Kapua opens. Datacom sells its Asia contact centres, but continues to service the region with higher-level IT services. The company also acquires IP and assets from XciteLogic.

     

  39. Datacom acquires Origen

    2013

    Datacom acquiries Tauranga-based company Origen, which specialises in creating software for local government.

  40. Datacom takes a stake in SmartWard

    2014

    Datacom acquires a 20 percent stake of health informatics company SmartWard. SmartWard is a software solution for hospitals, designed to save medical professionals time and allow them to spend more time with patients.