Resort residents get first gigabit-speed broadband

Resort residents get NZ’s first gigabit-speed broadband fibre network

NELSON, NEW ZEALAND: Residents of the newly-developed Gracefield Living community resort in Stoke (Nelson) have become the first in New Zealand to enjoy a future-proofed broadband network capable of lightning-fast 1Gb (1000Mbps) speed.

The current average broadband network speed in New Zealand is 3.0 Mbps.

This next generation 1Gb communications fibre network, the first of its kind in New Zealand, was designed and implemented by Nelson-based thepacific.net.

Residents will be connected to the communications superhighway by a single fibre optic hair capable of delivering such content-rich services as SkyTV, Freeview, telephones, internet, security, alarms, nurse call, and meter reading to every house, facility and common room at Gracefield Living roughly 300 times faster than the average broadband network today.

“Everything that can currently be imagined in digital communications will be transmitted as digital data through this fibre-optic system,” explains thepacific.net chairman Barrie Leay.

Leay says that residents are now able to link up their phone, TV and internet to enjoy integrated services such as using a video phone on the TV monitor, or using the TV to surf the web, send emails or play games – no need for a separate computer.

The system can also transmit TV channels that are estate-specific or provide a community channel (intranet) for residents to communicate with one another. These features and others will be rolled out as the resort grows and computer technology is available.

thepacific.net and its associates Electro Services are progressively connecting all the homes in the Lifecare Solutions-developed resort. The new system is an open access network which means that it can be used by other service providers in the future at the discretion of Lifecare Solutions – and there is no need for unsightly satellite dishes and aerials. Lifecare can also run a web-cam surveillance system that can be viewed on a TV channel at the estate to maintain security for residents.

Gracefield Living, Nelson is a new concept in living for people aged 55 plus. The resort is designed for people who want to remain independent and in their own homes for longer, while enjoying greater security and a wide range of facilities for recreation and relaxation.

“Our residents expect top quality modern housing and facilities, and that includes communications systems,” explains Lifecare Solutions director John Ward.

A key advantage of thepacific.net system is that most system problems that crop up can be diagnosed and remedied remotely. New services can also be added remotely removing the impact on resort infrastructure such as digging holes and drilling into existing buildings. Plus, everything can be remotely monitored from multiple locations as required.

Leay says thepacific.net began installing Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH) systems two years ago, and now has enquiries from all over the country for similar systems.

“It is only a matter of time before all communications systems will use technology similar to this. This will become the standard for new homes over the next decade,” he comments.

Leay points out that the World Wide Web is only 5000 days old, but already incredible new tools like Google search and maps, YouTube, online banking, airline bookings, libraries and so on, are used billions of times every day around the world.

“What will the next 5000 days invent? One certainty is that everyone will require ever more bandwidth, and that will come predominantly through fibre optic cable systems such as this,” he maintains.

Leay says all new housing developments, industrial estates, office blocks, hotels and motels, will be able to use fibre optic cable networks as initial equipment.

“It is much less expensive to install at the ‘greenfield’ stage, rather than have to retrofit properties later as ‘brownfield’ sites,” he explains.

Gracefield Living and thepacific.net say they are very proud to have introduced FttH to the Nelson region.

www.thepacific.net

www.gracefieldliving.co.nz

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