NorthTec to join high-speed broadband network

Tertiary Education Commission funding allows NorthTec to join high-capacity, high-speed broadband network

Date: 2 September, 2009

The Tertiary Education Commission has chosen NorthTec as one of seven polytechnics that will receive capital investment funding to assist them to connect to the high-capacity, high-speed broadband network for the education sector known as KAREN (Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network).

NorthTec’s Chief Executive signed the agreement to receive $360,000 in funding from the Tertiary Education Commission earlier this week.

“Linking up with KAREN will put NorthTec on a par with the rest of the world in terms of its access to the very best in broadband technology. It will mean that NorthTec has the capacity to access digital resources, exchange large volumes of data quickly and work collaboratively with research partners both nationally and internationally.”

Data can be transferred through KAREN at up to 10 gigabits a second. This is 10,000 times the speed of a standard 256K broadband connection.”
Both NorthTec’s Raumanga and Future Trades campuses in Whangarei will be connected to KAREN.

“Receiving this funding from the Tertiary Education Commission is a major breakthrough for NorthTec and the region, and I would like to acknowledge the expert guidance provided by NorthTec’s Director of Learning Technology and Innovation Services Xioahui Xu in preparing the funding bid which resulted in this capital investment from the commission.

“We are delighted by the opportunities that access to this leading-edge broadband network will present for our staff and students.”
Mr Barnett said that NorthTec will be working closely with local industry to identify how utilising KAREN can help meet local industry’s specific, regional research needs.

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