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N4L and Vector work together to expand Managed Network

Tuesday 15 September 2015, 1:07PM

By Network for Learning

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More than 50 Auckland schools will be able to start using N4L’s Managed Network sooner, thanks to an agreement that sees the Crown company using Vector’s fibre network as part of its national rollout.

Today’s agreement with Vector means that N4L and its partner, Spark, are able to use Vector’s existing infrastructure, reducing costs and minimising disruption to schools.

Schools currently using Vector fibre can now begin transitioning to N4L’s Managed Network and benefit from the government-funded services that are part of the Managed Network programme, which, in addition to fast, uncapped internet running at predictable speeds, includes web safety and security tools, as well as a number of support services especially designed to help schools gain the most from technology.  

N4L CEO John Hanna says it is important to collaborate with independent fibre providers like Vector to expand the Managed Network to all corners of the country.

“It is really encouraging to see everyone working together to achieve the best outcomes for young people,” says Mr Hanna. “It’s about ensuring every student throughout the country has the same opportunities for learning that are presented by having unlimited access to fast quality internet, as well as the support services that come along with that.”

Auckland North Shore’s Murrays Bay Intermediate will be among the first Vector-fibred schools to transition to the Managed Network. Principal Colin Dale says the Managed Network will give the school’s 1000-plus students the opportunity to use as much bandwidth as they need for their digital learning journey which began three years ago.

“For us, it means taking the handbrake off and we can continue on our journey to become a truly future-focused school. We have been heavy users of online learning programmes and we were getting to a stage where we couldn’t continue at this pace and do all that we wanted to because we had outgrown our internet package.”

Most of the Vector-fibred schools are on Auckland’s North Shore. The other schools are in different parts of Auckland and include Epsom Girls Grammar.

Today’s agreement with Vector follows successful arrangements with other commercial fibre providers throughout the country.

To date, more than 2050 schools are on the Managed Network. This represents more than 80% of all New Zealand schools, with 90% of the country’s schools expected to be connected  to the Managed Network by the end of the year.

An interactive map of all participating schools can be viewed at: http://www.n4l.co.nz/managednetwork/rollout/

ENDS

About Network for Learning (N4L)
N4L (Network for Learning) is a Crown company formed to provide all New Zealand students and teachers equitable access to high quality internet services and dynamic digital content for learning. The aim is to improve educational outcomes by enabling new learning opportunities presented by digital technologies and the government’s investment in ultra-fast broadband (UFB). The company is achieving this by building a Managed Network especially designed for schools and an online learning hub called Pond, which won “Most Innovative Initiative” at the 2015 Hi-Tech awards (the Managed Network also won the 2015 ANZIA (Aus & NZ Internet) Award for ‘Access & Digital Skills”). Together, these initiatives are about investing in our young people, digitally empowering their education for a future-ready, world-ready Aotearoa New Zealand.