01 April 2016

Congratulations Hawaiki

Northland Inc congratulates Hawaiki Cable on its announcement that the contract for its cable system has come into force and construction will now commence.

Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for Hawaiki and for Northland with the cable to come ashore at Mangawhai.

“We’ve always believed the Hawaiki Cable project is a critical piece of infrastructure that will attract further ICT investment to Northland and New Zealand” says Northland Inc CEO David Wilson.

“There will be significant flow on benefits in having increased competitiveness and diversity in our connections to the rest of the world. This greatly increases the attractiveness of Northland and New Zealand for ICT, digital, science and knowledge-based industries and provides a real opportunity for Northland to diversify its economy.”

“We are also delighted that New Zealand investors, Sir Eion Edgar’s family investment company, SIL Long Term Holdings Ltd, and Mr Malcolm Dick the former owner of broadband provider CallPlus, are behind the project” he says.

“We look forward to working with them and Hawaiki in leveraging the investment opportunities that this development will bring to Northland.”

Mr Wilson added, there were good reasons for Hawaiki choosing Northland as the landing site including; increased security of supply, being well removed from New Zealand’s existing submarine cables, access to multiple existing land-based data transfer networks; and the availability of ‘green’ power for future developments.

“We have always had faith that this project will happen and today’s announcement confirms our belief in the Hawaiki team,” Mr Wilson says.

Mr. Wilson believes progress on the Hawaiki Cable project strengthens Northland’s case for greater broadband capacity in the second phase of central government’s Ultra-Fast broadband programme.

“We have finalised the Northland Digital Enablement Plan in time to take full advantage of the opportunities that the Hawaiki Cable will provide Northland.”

ends

© Scoop Media