USD $70 million submarine cable project underway in Raglan
The Tasman Global Access Cable and existing cable systems in Asia Pacific. ENDS
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teamNew of specialist Vodafone Zealand submarine cable Elissaexperts Downey will arrive in Raglan this External Manager month Communications to lay the first section of the +64 21 866 146 Tasman Global Access (TGA) undersea Elissa.Downey@vodafone.com cable.
For media enquiries please contact:companies Telecommunications Spark Zealandand Telstra are investing Spark,New Vodafone Richard Llewellyn approximately USD $70 million to build the Head Corporate Communications TGAofcable, which will significantly improve New Zealand’s international broadband +64 27 523 2362 connectivity. Richard.Llewellyn@spark.co.nz Other benefits of the new cable include
strengthened links into fast-growing Asian markets, important redundancy and resiliency, and better connection with the five main international cable systems currently serving Australia. The consortium of Spark, Vodafone and Telstra have queries, contracted Alcatel-Lucent For investor relations please contact: Submarine Networks (ASN), now part of Spark New Zealand Nokia, to lay the first cable between Ngarunui Stefan Knight Beach Manager, at Raglan and and Narrabeen General Finance Business Beach in Australia. Performance +64 27 252 9438 Spark’s General Manager Wholesale and Stefan.Knight@spark.co.nz International, Lindsay Cowley, and Vodafone’s
Wholesale Director, Steve Rieger, jointly commented on behalf of the consortium: “The work in Raglan marks an exciting and important milestone on the journey to having the TGA cable ready to start carrying data across the Tasman towards the end of 2016. “The first stage will see the crew of the MV Tranquil Image - a specially fitted out New Zealand vessel - bury a three kilometre stretch of fibre optic cable from Ngarunui Beach, through the surf zone and into the ocean. “Once the Raglan shore landing works are complete, a larger specialised ASN ship will arrive in New Zealand to connect the next section of cable, taking it across the Tasman and eventually connecting it to the Narrabeen Beach landing in Australia.” The cable laying activities at Ngarunui Beach are scheduled to commence on 29 March and this first stage will take approximately one week to complete. The consortium cautions that weather conditions may impact the schedule: “The goal is to complete this first stage as quickly and seamlessly as possible, however the health and safety of the crew, and the public, are our first priority. “We are keeping the Raglan community informed of the key construction dates and activities and we are extremely grateful for their understanding and support of the project so far,” said Lindsay Cowley and Steve Rieger. The TGA cable is currently on track to be completed, tested and ready for service by the end of 2016. The 2,300km length of cable is comprised of two fibre pairs, and will have a total capacity of 20 terabits per second. Vodafone, Spark, Telstra
TGA Cable facts: • The Tasman Global Access (TGA) cable will meet future international bandwidth requirements for New Zealand consumers and businesses alike, which are set to grow by 11,000% in the next 10 years. • The TGA landing at Raglan on our West Coast provides important cable route diversity to the existing Southern Cross cable connecting New Zealand to Australia and the USA. • The TGA cable will enable New Zealand to better leverage the five main international cable systems currently serving Australia, and deliver important redundancy for New Zealand, as well as strengthening links into fast-growing Asian markets. • Both Spark and Vodafone’s trans-Tasman internet traffic has grown from just 10 percent of total international traffic in 2000, to 40-50 percent today. • With New Zealand’s international capacity requirements growing 60 percent year-onyear, (and projected 11,000% growth over 10 years) the TGA cable will support the future needs of consumers and the growth aspirations of New Zealand businesses. • The TGA cable is a truly green project, in keeping with the ethos of Raglan. It will produce only short-term minor impacts on the environment that after one tide change will not be noticed, yet delivers limitless benefit for all of New Zealand in the longterm. • In planning the TGA cable, particular care has been given to ensuring the work at Raglan has minimal impact. All major cablelaying work will be completed “off season” to minimise disruption to regular beach users. The consortium has taken advice from Raglan based marine ecologists regarding the cable route to shore. Local Iwi have also been consulted regarding their knowledge of the area and will continue to be involved in the development of the project.
Telstra Michael Zappone Group Manager Corporate Media Relations +61 438 004 959 Michael.zappone@team.telstra.com
Mass of wifi users make library Physical disabilities no barrier unappealing to residents to having fun in the water
Tourists are overrunning the library and council office with their use of free wifi. At the community board earlier this month, it was heard that Raglan residents no longer feel that they can go to the library because it is always filled with tourists. The community board had requested that the Waikato District Council advertise that free wifi was also available at the iSite, to reduce the number of people taking up space outside and inside the library and council office. However, council says it does not manage the iSite, and it is not aware if the information centre has any plans to advertise its free wifi. At the community board meeting, Waikato District councillor Clint Baddeley said the library was a service for the community, a place where they could go to get out some books, sit quietly or read the paper. “Local people should feel they can go to the library,” agreed community board member Lisa Thomson. “But it’s filled with people on wifi.” Ms Thomson said she was unsure that visitors to Raglan knew that the iSite had free wifi because most went to the library. She said they sat there for hours occupying space. Bob MacLeod said tourists should use the free wifi at the iSite, because the information centre was a service for tourists. “I know talking to the (council) area manager that he is having a real issue with the use of wifi at the service desk.” Mr MacLeod said the “council just grinds to a halt” with the amount of people taking up shared space to use the free wifi. “They shouldn’t be sitting there all day,” says Kelly Clarkson. “Fifteen minutes is fine but all day? How does that impact my kid? Seeing them sitting there, staring at their screens."
iSite team leader Te Aronui Maihi says they don’t want to be overcrowded with wifi users, either. “We give out a minimum amount and then they get charged.” She says having the bus stop outside the library means that the library gets a lot of wifi users. She says the iSite hasn’t advertised its wifi because there are problems with it cutting out, and she is unsure of how far its coverage goes. She says it would be good to expand the coverage of the wifi and have picnic tables outside, in the park area, where wifi users can sit. WDC customer support general manager Sue Duignan says the record number of people through the library door in one day, not including those sitting outside using free wifi, is 816, on January 8, 2016. She says the weather makes a huge impact on numbers. “If the weather is fine we get on average 350 people through the door; on a poor weather day we get about 600 people.” She says in December the library had 10,324 people through the door, and 7,237 wifi users. Ms Duignan says there have been no formal complaints regarding wifi users since the refurbishment of the library last year. “The refurbishment included changing the front of the library so that people could sit under the cover to the side, out of the way of the entrance. “In January we extended our wifi coverage – the wifi now goes 100m in each direction. This may also reduce the number of people sitting directly outside the library. “Wifi is a service that we offer at all our libraries. We are committed to ensuring all New Zealanders have access to wifi services.” Inger Vos
Justine Quarrell and Keith Jarmey from Raglan Water Sports (left), Scott Gundesen from SUP Bros Paddle Boarding (right) and Thomas Tumai (middle).
Halberg Disability Sport Foundation adviser Dave MacCalman hopes that Raglan will become the Waikato hub for adaptive watersports. On Sunday, about 20 physically disabled people had a go at surfing, stand-up paddleboarding and waka ama in Raglan as part of the Flight Centre Foundation Halberg Water Sports Day. They included several children from Raglan and seven blind cricketers from Auckland. The events took place at Ngarunui Beach and the Kopua Domain. An adapted paddleboard was donated to Raglan Watersports so it can continue to give support and hold events for physically disabled Kiwis interested in getting out on the water. It is hoped that the watersports day will attract twice has many participants next year. “We’re looking to generate enough interest so that something can continue to happen here,” says Dave. He says at Mt Maunganui the surfing
community has committed to taking four surfing sessions for the physically disabled each season. It was the fifth and final watersports day to be held by Halberg and the Flight Centre Foundation this year. It was the first time that a watersports day was held in Raglan, and the second year the event has been running. “It’s new territory,” says Dave, of getting disabled people involved in watersports. Halberg’s sporting events have mostly included land-based activities, such as basketball, cricket and athletics. Dave, a former New Zealand Paralympian, says the idea is to normalise the inclusion of physically disabled people in sporting events. “We should all be involved in sports and recreation, no exceptions.” Inger Vos For those that missed out or anyone wishing to be involved in creating next year's events, contact davem@halberg.co.nz or Ross Ormsby: 021 665 627.
RAGLAN Chronicle 5