TELECOM MEDIA ADVISORY: Canterbury earthquake - update 1.30pm, Monday 28 February

Telecom Connect Hubs helping Christchurch to stay in touch

Telecom has established Telecom Connect Hubs at the Christchurch welfare centres for those requiring assistance with communications. The Connect Hubs offer free calling, free internet access, mobile charging facilities and distribution of analogue phones for people without power at home.

The initial demand for these services has been to make calls to friends and family, organise assistance to return to homes, clear emails and confirm safety and location to networks on Facebook.

Telecom Connect Hubs are located at:

• Burnside High School, Burnside, Telecom representatives available to help from 9am to 9pm (northwest of Christchurch CBD)
• Pioneer Stadium, Spreydon, Telecom representatives available to help from 9am to 7pm (south of Christchurch CBD)
• Cowles Stadium, Wainoni (north east of Christchurch CBD), Telecom representatives available to help from 9am to 6pm
• Roy Stokes Hall, New Brighton (north east of Christchurch CBD), Telecom representatives available to help from 9am to 6pm
• Windsor Primary school, 170 Burwood Road, Burwood, Telecom representatives available to help from 9am – 6pm
• Rangiora Baptist Centre, 111 Eastbelt Road, Rangiora, Telecom representatives available to help from 9am – 6pm

Gen-i has established communication services at the Christchurch Welfare Centres and is supporting the staff running the centres with voice, data and mobile connectivity and has provided them with mobile devices, XT data cards, wireless printers and scanners.

In addition four Telecom stores are now open and able to assist or provide analogue phones:

• Northlands, Shop 80A, Northlands Shopping Mall, Hours 9am – 6pm
• Riccarton, Shop 24, Riccarton Shopping Mall, Hours 9am – 6pm
• 70 Moorehouse Avenue, Hours – 9am – 6pm
• Shop 105, The Hub, 418 Main South Rd, Hornby, Hours 9am - 6pm

Update on free payphones and donations

More than 40,000 calls have been made from 260 free Telecom payphones across Christchurch. Free WiFi spots are also available at Telecom Riccarton Mall, Café Zero (Cashmere Rd), and the Westpac Centre (Addington).

More than 24,000 people have used the official txt-to-donate fundraising service, supplied by Telecom, to donate to the New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Appeal. Users of all New Zealand mobile networks can text 4419 to make an automatic $3 donation to the Appeal. To ensure 100% of the donation will make its way to the Appeal, Telecom is providing this service free-of-charge

Network status

Overall the Telecom network remains up and stable, all Telecom exchanges are operational with a combination of mains and generated power, as are the majority of mobile sites.

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