FAQs

Q. What is thelink?

thelink is the largest independent regional open access fibre network in NZ. It services communities in the Top of the South.

Q. Who is behind thelink?

thelink was commissioned by Network Tasman Limited, a trust owned electricity lines company based in Richmond.>read more

Q. Why was thelink started?

Network Tasman Limited (NTL) first investigated the concept of a regional fibre network in 2000 while exploring strategic opportunities for the company.  NTL envisioned building a network that would benefit the company, the local community and the region’s schools while generating income for NTL through the lease of fibre to businesses.

Q. What is an open access fibre network?

An open access fibre network is one in which fibre cables are leased to any potential user on relatively equal terms enabling competition for internet and telephone services. Users of our network currently include telecommunications companies, ISPs, IT companies, individual companies and community organisations.

Q. What services does thelink provide?

We can connect larger sites within the Top of the South area to provide a business or organization with their own local high speed network.  This is feasible for large users who have the technical knowledge to “light up” the fibres.

We also lease fibre to telecommunication and ISP/IT companies who offer their services to end users over our fibre network.

We can also provide access to the national high speed research network, KAREN, and to the governments’ high speed network, GSN, when it comes to the region.

Businesses will also soon be able to use our fibre network to connect to the EDA’s internet exchange and access services enabled by the Government’s Broadband Challenge Fund.

Q. What is a dark fibre network?

Dark fibre refers to unlit fibre - cable without electronics connected to it.  The customer lights up the fibre giving them control over the speed of the network.

Q. What are the advantages of using thelink?

thelink is capable of delivering almost unlimited bandwidth and enables local users to access broadband at speeds many more times faster than those offered by traditional copper networks.

thelink enables competition for internet and telephone services in the region at competitive prices.

Q. What exactly is broadband?

Broadband is a digital connection to the internet at 100 Megabits per second or higher; however the term Broadband is routinely used to describe a connection to the internet at 2 to 10 Megabits per second.

Q. Can’t we already get high-speed broadband?

No. Traditional telecommunication services operate over the copper telephone network.  The maximum speed is less than 10 megabits a second.  thelink can offer speeds a thousand times faster.

Q. Who can purchase thelink services?

Anyone can purchase our services but they are best suited to;

Telecommunications companies

Local ISP/IT companies

Local organizations such as Regional Councils, the DHB and NMIT and larger local businesses that are able to provide their own equipment to light up the fibre they lease.

The service is not geared for residential use but home internet users may be connected via their ISP.

Q. Will thelink deliver broadband to the home?

We are working with two developers on two separate residential subdivisions to create the regions first fibre to the home development.  A number of Service Providers have indicated interest in offering triple play services to these homes and we hope the first homes will be built in 2009.

This is exciting for our region as no other infrastructure operator is offering fibre from the exchange to the home and it is exciting for NZ as currently no national player is offering an effective Triple play solution over fibre.

Q. What is The LOOP?

The LOOP is a high speed broadband network that utilizes thelink fibre optic network to deliver Internet services and educational resources to schools in the Top of the South.  It allows schools to share resources, and instantaneously interact and collaborate on projects, and enables teachers to more easily adapt to the needs and interests of individual students.  >read more