More fibre a boost for local economy

Media statement
13 October 2009

More fibre a boost for local economy

Counties Power is continuing its push towards greater use of ultra-fast fibre optic networks within Franklin, with locals set to reap the benefits.

Ultimately, Counties Power CEO Neil Simmonds says he would like to deliver fibre to 95% of ratepayers in the Franklin district – provided there is an element of funding from the Government.

“Fibre will allow open access ultra-fast broadband thanks to connection speeds of 100Mbps - 3000 times faster than dial-up,” says Mr Simmonds.

A move to fibre is also high on the wish-list of the National Government.

In fact, the Government wants 75% of New Zealanders to have ultra-fast broadband within 10 years.

However, its initial focus is ensuring 97% of New Zealand schools and 99.7% of New Zealand students gain access to broadband speeds of 100Mbps or greater within the next six years.

It is a challenge the New Zealand Regional Fibre Group (of which Counties Power is a member) believes it can help achieve - but only with a move from a copper network to fibre infrastructure.

The NZRFG was formed by 17 lines and fibre companies from throughout the country to support the Government’s vision of ultra-fast fibre broadband, which is why Counties Power is continuing to push on with its own fibre network.

The company is currently rolling out a 23km network extension that will connect its existing fibre network at Runciman, while also linking it to Transpower’s new Drury substation, the Transpower Bombay substation and back to the Counties Power network at Pokeno.

“Counties Power was initially commissioned to enable fibre-based communications to the new Transpower substation at Drury. The project is progressing well and should be complete by Christmas,” says Mr Simmonds.

“Counties Power has been reticulating fibre into Franklin since 2002, first as part of Wired Country, then with FX networks as a major customer.

“The experience we have gained working with fibre means that our existing in-house skills have not only allowed us to design this network extension for Transpower but also to carry out the construction work using Counties Power Construction.”

Since the inception of Wired Country, Counties Power has been committed to the concept of open access fibre optic networks and was effectively a pioneer of the fibre movement.

Mr Simmonds says fibre infrastructure has ensured the people and businesses in significant parts of Franklin are well positioned to take advantage of ultra-fast broadband networks.

Editors Notes:

• The NZRFG is a group of regional operators including lines companies and local fibre companies, which has come together to support the Government’s efforts to introduce ultra-fast broadband to New Zealand. Members include Alpine Energy, Aurora Energy, CityLink, Counties Power, Eastland Group, Electricity Ashburton, Enable Networks Ltd, Horizon Energy, Network Tasman, Network Waitaki, Northpower, PowerNet, Unison, Vector, Velocity, Waipa Networks, and WEL Networks.

ENDS

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