Alcatel-Lucent inks deal with Crown fibre contender Unison
Alcatel-Lucent has been chosen as Unison's official technology provider for a fibre roll-out around Hawke's Bay, Rotorua and Taupo.
Alcatel-Lucent has been chosen as Unison’s official technology provider for a fibre roll-out around Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua and Taupo.
Given that Unison – a lines company, primarily – shortlisted for the government's $1.35 billion ultrafast broadband project, as part of the Central Fibre consortium (which also includes Counties Power, Eastland Group, Horizon Energy Distribution and Centralines, and covers Pukekohe, Waiuku, Rotorua, Taupo, Whakatane, Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, Feilding and Masterton), NBR’s mind immediately reeled.
Was some kind of Crown fibre deal all go?
Nope, it’s a parallel project, Unison sales and marketing manager Wayne Baird told NBR.
Unison already has 130km of fibre in the ground, Mr Baird said, offering both 100Mbit/s and 1GBit/s service.
Its roll-out is not going on hold while it awaits the outcome of the Crown Fibre Holdings partner selection process.
Rather, it’s pushing ahead Mr Baird said, responding to demand from customers.
Mr Baird said Alcatel Lucent had always been Unison’s fibre partner, but only on a trial basis. Today’s announcement formalised the arrangement.
Unison is New Zealand’s fourth largest electricity powerlines company.
The company gained its Network Operator Status (for Telecommunication purposes) from the government on August 17 last year, and immediately began rolling out 44km of fibre from Hastings to Napier.
Unison is also a member of the New Zealand Regional Fibre Group, a group of regional operators including lines companies and local fibre companies that have come together to support the government’s $1.35 billion effort to introduce ultrafast broadband to New Zealand. The Regional Fibre Group is also in the running for the government's separate, $300 million Rural Broadband Initiative.
NBR staff
Tue, 12 Oct 2010
Tue, 12 Oct 2010
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Alcatel-Lucent inks deal with Crown fibre contender Unison
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