TelstraClear to invest $20m and create choice

Wednesday 25 January 2006

TelstraClear to invest $20m and create choice in South Island

TelstraClear will invest $20 million in a new-generation fibre backbone network connecting key cities in the lower South Island.

The 950 km fibre lay will extend TelstraClear's national fibre network, linking Dunedin to Gore, Invercargill, Queenstown and Christchurch. It will deliver improved security of service to business customers in these cities.

TelstraClear Chief Executive Allan Freeth said the network build would lead to better services and prices to more than 20,000 business customers in the lower South Island.

"By extending our network we'll be able to deliver a choice of voice and data services to businesses and provide our large corporate customers with network connectivity to branch offices in those cities," says Dr Freeth.

"The network build reflects our commitment to ongoing investment in New Zealand. This year we will spend more than $120 million extending and enhancing services for customers throughout the country."

Fibre laying will begin shortly, with the complete network expected to be in service within two years. Contractors will start with the Invercargill to Dunedin section, completing the route from Invercargill to Christchurch, via Queenstown, next year. Currently, TelstraClear's fibre network ends at Dunedin.

TelstraClear is planning access networks for the CBD areas of Invercargill, Queenstown, Timaru, Ashburton and Gore once the backbone is completed. Customers in these areas will then be able to access New Zealand's most advanced IP network. They will have access to services such as Private IP, which creates a virtual private network between an organisation's head and branch offices and connections of up to one gigabit per second.

Dr Freeth says the fibre will also provide a link in New Zealand's first advanced research network, which TelstraClear was named preferred managed service supplier for last December.

Research and education institutes in the lower South Island will have access to high-speed services and be connected real-time to institutes in New Zealand and around the world.

ENDS

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