Connecting New Zealanders to the world The twentieth century has been full of technological miracles; what was once science fiction has become a reality. It would not have been much more than two decades ago that the words, Google, broadband and Facebook, did not exist. But as technology advanced, more and more things have cropped up in the cyber world – information can be found in the blink of an eye and data can be stored in the “cloud”. Today you can see and talk to a person living across the other side of the world; you can even do your groceries with a plastic card through your computer.
From here to there For Kiwis today, this range of technological innovation is only accessible thanks to the Southern Cross Cables Network; a network made up of almost 30,500 kilometres of cable, including 28,900 kilometres of submarine cable.
It is these cables that link New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Hawaii and the US mainland in a giant ring, with another cable linking the two landing stations in Hawaii; creating a network of cables in the shape of a figure eight.
be available by the much lower capacity Southern Cross quick satellite and the Tasman Two. This would severely affect other aspects such as • Construction began: 1998 banking and finance that are reliant on • Construction finished:2000 overseas connectivity.” • First traffic: 2000
Through these fast, high capacity fibre optic cables, New Zealanders are able to connect speedily and regularly to the world wide web. This complex network of pipes connects New Zealanders to a range of online information and services such as YouTube videos, email, Google, Facebook, Twitter and even role-playing games such as the ever-popular World of Warcraft.
An ever expanding network
• Built by: Alcatel-Lucent/Fujitsu
Construction of the Southern Cross network first began in March 1998 and was fully completed on February 28, 2001, costing $1.3b (USD). Since its creation the network capacity has undergone a number of major upgrades and expansions from the original 20Gbps in November, 2000. The current expansion will increase the total network capacity to two terabits per second from December, 2012.
• Area Served: South Pacific
Southern Cross’ director of sales and marketing, Ross Pfeffer points out that without this network of cables “broadband internet in New Zealand would not exist”.
And Ross says the future will only hold more expansions and improvements of the network. “Southern Cross will continue to upgrade and expand its “Southern Cross is the only way New capacity as demand increases and will Zealanders get access to offshore take advantage of new technology content. While satellite and an older efficiencies as they arise. This ensures fibre cable, the Tasman Two, exists, the that there is more sufficient capacity capacity limitations make them unviable to meet New Zealand and Australia’s as a reasonable alternative,” he says. demand growth for the “Without Southern Cross, internet in considerable future.” New Zealand would be severely limited; access to offshore content would only
facts
• Owners: 50 per cent owned by Telecom New Zealand, 40 percent by Singtel and 10 percent by Verizon business.
Southern Cross Cables For information about Southern Cross product options and what will work best for your organisation contact: Southern Cross Cables Ross Pfeffer Director Sales and Marketing T (04) 496 3248, (04) 499 7232 www.southerncrosscables.com