Sep 4 2007
Telecom has commenced work on a $1.1 million project to lay 30 kilometres of new fibre optic cable between Invercargill and Bluff, and deploy broadband technology to several new areas.
The project entails installing new access ducts in parts of Invercargill and Bluff, mole-ploughing and laying fibre optic cable along State Highway One, installing new electronic equipment in the two centres, and deploying new roadside cabinets.
Network Planner Robert Short says that the project will provide additional capacity for future telecommunications growth and demand in Bluff, as well as enable broadband coverage to be extended to Woodend and Greenhills.
“As part of the upgrade, we anticipate being able to offer high speed data, or Ethernet, services to business customers in Bluff for the first time.
“The new fibre cable also provides us with the platform to extend broadband technology to Greenhills and Woodend, with the installation of new roadside cabinets and broadband equipment along the fibre route.
“The new network link to Bluff will provide up to sixteen times greater network capacity to accommodate expected increases in data traffic over the next decade, particularly as demand for high speed data and broadband services grow,” he said.
The project is also intended to provide enhanced quality of fixed line telephone services for customers in the Bluff area and reduce the potential for faults.
The laying of fibre optic cable along State Highway One is expected to be completed by October.
All existing telecommunications traffic between Bluff and Invercargill is scheduled to be transferred onto the new network by December and the new roadside cabinets in Greenhills and Woodend are expected to be commissioned in early 2008.