Telecom completes $1.6m Kerikeri fibre ring

The completion of a fibre optic project worth about $1.6 million means that Kerikeri is now more connected than ever before.

Telecom has laid 30km of fibre optic cable near the Mangakahia Valley to create an alternative network route for telecommunications traffic between Kerikeri and Whangarei.

Telecom Network Deployment Specialist Duncan Hamilton says the project has also involved boosting the capacity of the fibre optic ring now linking the two centres.

“We’ve installed new Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) terminals in Whangarei and Kerikeri to approximately double the network’s capacity over the fibre ring.

“This should accommodate expected increases in data traffic over the next decade, particularly as demand for high speed data (Ethernet) and broadband services grow, and allow for the delivery of future consumer
services,” he said.

Mr Hamilton says the new ring is also intended to increase the reliability of service for Kerikeri, Paihia, Kawakawa and Hikurangi because it is self-healing.

“The terminals we’ve installed have the ability to re-route traffic on Telecom’s network and thereby reduce the risk of service disruption if there is damage to the fibre-optic cable.

“If, for example, our pre-existing fibre-optic cable is cut between Hikurangi and Whangarei, the terminals will instantly redirect south-bound communications back through the Mangakahia Valley to Whangarei,” he said.
Work on the $1.6 million project began in September 2006 and was part of Telecom’s $19 million investment plans for Northland in the 2006/2007 financial year.