KEY POINTS:
Maxine Elliott, general manager at Vector Communications, unearths the mysteries of fibre optic broadband networks.
We're hearing a lot about fibre optic broadband networks. What are they and why are they so good?
It's the next generation broadband network. There is nothing better or faster. Strands
of fibreglass are sealed in plastic insulation and buried say, under the footpath, close to business premises. One fibre-optic cable comprises up to 96 fibreglass strands, each the thickness of a human hair. Each strand transmits signals at the speed of light over large distances. The network is fast and can transfer a huge amount of data, much more data and much faster than the copper cable in telephone lines. That means businesses can use it for phone lines as well as internet needs without worrying about call quality and network congestion.
Getting connected sounds expensive. Is it?
Not at all. There's the capital cost of installing the network, which we bear as the infrastructure provider. We wholesale the network capacity to channel partners, who package up broadband offerings for business customers. Because packages also typically include free local calls and cheaper tolls, the cost is comparable.
Why is Vector involved and what's wrong with existing broadband?
Our expertise is in providing infrastructure. We've been laying a network in and around Auckland for seven years. Existing broadband carried over conventional copper lines is generally much slower, slows down when lots of people are logged on, and the further away you are from the telephone exchange, the worse the signal. You don't have any of those problems with a fibre-optic network.
Why should small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) investigate fibre optic?
Because they can get a replacement enterprise-grade voice service with cheaper toll calls, faster broadband, and the availability of unlimited network performance.
What type of business does fibre optic broadband suit best?
It suits a wide range of SMEs. If you're shifting a lot of data and need to be better connected to your customers, suppliers or other parts of your business, fibre optic is the way to go. You might be a car dealership wanting to exchange diagnostic information with your head office, an architects' practice needing to send detailed design drawings, or a printing shop wanting to receive print files.
Where can I get it and how do I know if the network is near me?
In Auckland we have 500km of fibre optic network already laid in the CBD and other business districts including Albany, Manukau and East Tamaki. We are expanding that network by an extra 300km on the back of our recent agreement with Vodafone to link its cellphone towers and connect to Telecom's telephone exchanges. Check it out online at: www.vectorfibre.co.nz and you also may have noticed a poster of a big ethernet plug socket appearing on the footpath outside your office - that's a sign the fibre- optic network is right outside your building.
What happens when the next technological advance comes along?
There isn't one. Fibre optic is future-proof. There is no better existing technology nor is there a better one on the horizon.
When can businesses sign up and are Kiwis big users of broadband?
Our fibre partners are selling it now. Kiwis are early adopters of technology. Unfortunately, outdated technology has been holding us back, but for many Auckland businesses that's no longer the case.
