1960s
Datacom was founded as Computer Bureau Ltd in 1965 by two Christchurch accountants, Dr Bernard Battersby and Paul Hargreaves.[8]
A group of clients put up the original capital for the company – £30,000 – and an order was placed for an ICL 1902 computer, which didn't arrive in New Zealand for another year.
The company hired its first systems analysts and programmers in August 1965 and installed the first computer for a client in September of the following year.
In 1968, the company, now called CBL added additional offices in Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton between 1968 and 1970.[9]
1970s
In 1970, Hargreaves quit his family's accounting firm to run CBL full-time, and the business expanded to Auckland via the acquisition of the Fletcher Computer Bureau.[10]
In 1971, the Datacom Group holding company was established.
CBL began offering remote on-line services through onsite terminals beginning in 1976.
1980s
CBL expanded its software development arm, introducing User-11, the first 4GL (Fourth-generation programming language) seen in New Zealand in 1981. The company also set up a data communications network and a New Zealand-wide timesharing service in the early 1980s initially using DEC PDP 11/70s and then added DEC VAX 11/750s and PDP 11/84s. These systems were also used for Facilities Management customers including the Canterbury Building Society and Hertz Rental Cars.
In 1983, CBL was the first to bring Oracle database technology to New Zealand for the New Zealand Dairy Company (now Fonterra).
In 1984, CBL changed its name to Datacom. Paul Hargreaves was appointed executive director, and later CEO when Battersby retired.
Datacom merged with computer-services company CCL (not to be confused with the Spark subsidiary Computer Concepts Limited) in 1989, added its facilities management and payroll technology to its already established payroll division[9]
1990s
In 1991, Datacom signed its first large outsourcing contract in Auckland with Telecom Directories. The same year Datacom Wellington merged with the IT department of New Zealand Post, boosting staff numbers by 90.
In 1992, Datacom established a contact centre in Sydney, and in 1994 its first Australian office. This expanded its NZ-based services to Microsoft Australia. This regional service provided diagnostic technical support services to clients and customers. Datacom began exporting some of its facilities management and IT services into its Australian offices in the late 1990s, leading to the company's first data centre in Australia.
1996 saw the company open its first office in Asia, in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur.
The business also further established partner programs and sales services with the channel and reseller community.
2000s
During the 2000s, Datacom made a series of acquisitions that spread its services to other locations in Australia. In 2004, it purchased GlobalCenter for $7.15 million, its second data centre,[11] and the following year, the company purchased NetOptions to establish a presence in Queensland.[12]
In 2003 Datacom merged with Connect Interactive Business Services to create Datacom Connect, which largely expanded their call centre offerings.
It expanded from this base in 2007 after acquiring IT services company Agire Pty Ltd, located in Townsville.
Through start-up opportunities with local partners, Datacom moved into South Australia in 2006, and Western Australia in 2007. By the end of 2007, the company had acquired a third data centre in Sydney through Hansen Professional Services. [13] Its fourth data centre came in 2011 in Western Australia.[14]
2010s
Datacom Technical Security Services is founded by former DSD security expert, Richard Byfield.[17]
In 2010, Datacom opened a sister facility to Orbit, Gloucester, in Christchurch. It opened one week before the 2010 Christchurch Earthquake.[18]
Datacom opened a sister facility to Orbit and Gloucester, Kapua, in Hamilton in 2013.[19]
In 2013 Datacom also sold the contact centre arm of its Asia business,[9] but continued to serve the market with IT services.
In the same year Datacom acquired a SAP payroll firm in Melbourne to establish a strong relationship in the Australian health sector, and as a provider of SAP services.[20]
2020s
In July 2022, Datacom secured a four-year contract with Transport for NSW to provide network operations and a high-speed digital ecosystem to support customer service.
In 2023, Datacom moved it corporate headquarters from the building formerly known as Datacom House on Jervois Quay in Wellington to the Asteron Life Building at 55 Featherston St in Wellington.
