Fruitbowl - Fresh Ideas from Hawke's Bay

Unison Fibre has lit the first fibre optic cable on Hawke’s Bay’s fibre route – marking a major milestone for bringing ultrafast broadband to the region.

Unison Networks chief executive Ken Sutherland said lighting the fibre, from central Hastings to Unison Networks company office in Omahu Road, was the first preliminary test to prove continuity of the cable.

Lighting the fibre also demonstrates that Hawke’s Bay has a functioning communications network which is crucial to Unison’s Government tender bid as the region’s Local Fibre Company, he said.

Unison Fibre is now testing communication services with local and national internet service providers to activate broadband and voice services over the fibre cable.

“Getting a communications service in place will confirm we have built a reliable and sustainable fibre backbone for Hawke’s Bay, Mr Sutherland said.

Firstly the “backbone” will immediately improve Unison’s internal electricity network communications, operations and management of its assets, linking 11 substations from Hastings, to the west of Hastings, through Taradale and to Napier.

“It will improve reliability and quality of power supply and enable faster restoration speeds to the community,” Mr Sutherland said.

Unison Fibre is working with major users and businesses along the route and their internet service providers to get them connected.

Key business relationships with the first of these service providers are expected to be announced in the New Year, he said.

Already 30km of the 44 km fibre optic back bone has been rolled out in just four months since Unison announced it was entering the telecommunications market.

Hastings and Napier are expected to be interconnected by the end of January and work will then start on stage two which will see fibre rolled out to Havelock North, other areas of Hastings and central Napier as well as Rotorua and Taupo.

Unison Fibre general manager Nigel Purdy said the team had turned their knowledge and knowhow of an electricity network to telecommunications.

“Everyone has been on a steep learning curve that required applying their existing talents to a whole new philosophy to learn new skills to build a fibre route”.

“We’ve sparked a lot interest out in the community particularly from those who have fibre running past, or close to their homes and offices.

“We’ve been fielding a lot of calls from people wanting to know when they can connect and it is certainly our intention to provide connections to as many people as possible but it is also dependent on the Government’s broadband initiatives for New Zealanders,” Mr Purdy said.

Unison is a member of the New Zealand Regional Fibre Group which is made up of 18 regionally based lines and fibre companies that supports the Government’s vision of introducing ultra-fast fibre broadband to New Zealand.

Unison Fibre is a subsidiary of Unison Networks which undertakes and manages its telecommunications business.

Unison Networks, is one of New Zealand’s largest electricity distribution businesses supplying more than 100,000 customers connected to networks in Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua and Taupo.

For more information please contact

Unison Communications Manager

Anna Lorck

06 8739427 or 0212739491