Fiji and Cook Islands study high-speed internet powerline plan

By RICHARD WOOD

The Fiji Electricity Authority and the Cook Islands Government are carrying out technical investigations to assess the viability of powerline communications (PLC) technology.

PLC uses power lines for high-speed internet communications.

A German company with links to New Zealand, Bender Information and Systemtechnology, is working on both projects and also has other South Pacific islands in its sights.

President Jeurgen Bender has met with the European Union ambassador to the South Pacific and said the EU was willing to assist islands with funding.

Cook Islands Energy Department director Mata Nooroa said the Cooks Government had approved a technical feasibility study. Then it will go to a committee comprising the Secretary of Finance, the head of the local power utility, and the head of Telecom Cook Islands.

He said they were still investigating what support the EU might give.

Fiji Electricity Authority supply chain manager Brian Hardacre confirmed a contract was nearly complete with BIS.

Surveying and testing of the system in Fiji were expected to begin next month.

Bender said the World Health Organisation had also shown interest, as it wanted to overcome the slow speed of dial-up internet in Island nations.

Bender said the main problems in introducing PLC into the islands were in getting the link to the rest of the world by cable or satellite, which could be a political issue.

He said that in Malaysia the TNB utilities firm was introducing PLC in the Cyberjaya technology city in the Multimedia Super Corridor.

And in Singapore market trials and pilots were complete and there was approval for a commercial trial involving 50,000 users.

Locally Maxine Elliot, general manager of Vector Communications, has confirmed it is continuing its PLC trial in Karake St in Takapuna but is now using a commercial version of the technology.

Before the merger between UnitedNetworks and Vector, UnitedNetworks had said it could potentially provide broadband PLC service to 8000 houses in Auckland and Wellington.