TelstraClear to Speed Things Up in Whangarei

TELSTRACLEAR has teamed up with a Northland electricity network owner to provide high-speed, fibre-optic- delivered broadband to businesses, schools and medical facilities in Whangarei.

TelstraClear’s head of alternative networks, John Bone, said the model, which is similar to one it partners in Nelson-Marlborough, has the potential to be replicated in other towns.

The company expects to start offering voice and data services over Northpower’s core fibre-optic network to about 900 businesses, schools and medical centres by Christmas. The service could be extended to residential consumers, Mr Bone said.

TelstraClear will spend $1 million upgrading its northern fibre backbone and connecting the Northpower and TelstraClear networks.

Mr Bone said the partnership was one strand of TelstraClear’s drive to secure a bigger piece of the New Zealand business market.

It launched a mobile phone service last month aimed at small to medium businesses, delivered through a wholesale agreement with Telecom.

Northpower owns and manages the electricity lines network in Whangarei and Kaipara, and also owns New Zealand’s largest electricity distribution contracting business, with centres across the North Island.

Mr Bone said there was the potential for rolling out similar networks, and the company was considering at least one other location.

The service would give Whangarei businesses an edge over those operating in other cities.

Companies had already identified uses for the high- speed network, ranging from video conferencing through to Web-based automotive diagnosis.

Schools and the city’s tertiary provider, NorthTech, will use the network to gain access to the Kiwi Advanced Research and Education network which links it to education and research institutions.

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