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More Fibre Optic Funding Sought to Link South To North

Monday 30 June 2008, 7:54PM

By Tararua District Council

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MANAWATU-WHANGANUI

The council wants to include Norsewood in its inter town fibre optic project linking Eketahuna, Pahiatua ,Woodville and Dannevirke with Palmerston North - funding permitting.


In the $325,000 first stage of the project, the council has already entered into an agreement between Palmerston North, Inspired Networks Limited in conjunction with FX Networks Limited, to lay cable from Eketahuna, Pahiatua, Woodville and to Palmerston North. Both are telecommunication network companies that sell access to fibre to Internet Service Providers or other customers.


The companies are expecting to start “blowing’ the cable through the pipes next week and may complete this work by the end of July, corporate services manager Peter Wimsett reported to councillors last week.


The Council is preparing an application for funding from central government following announcements that broadband investment funding has been “replenished”.


Minister of Information Communications and Technology David Cunliffe is aware of the progress being made with laying fibre optic cable in Tararua and the funding request would enable a conduit from Woodville to Dannevirke. However “making a provision for Norsewood is very tight” because of the speed of the work being carried out, Mr Wimsett said.


With the laying of fibre optic cable the length of the Tararua district each town will have the potential to be utilised by Internet Service Providers as part of a strategy to make broadband available to the rural sector.


In addition, the council has now authorised staff to seek funding for the 24.3km between Dannevirke and Norsewood form either Scanpower Limited or the Eastern and Central Community Trust.