Satellite communications on its way to Gisborne, Napier

Work continues to re-establish network connectivity to the regions of the North Island that have lost power and communications due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Telecommunications Forum is also working with the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) to deliver equipment to Gisborne that can help set up satellite communications access in the area.

Spark has extra satellite units headed to Napier via a helicopter provided by its subsidiary, Entelar Group, and is dispatching another 10 generators to the region.

Forum chief executive Paul Brislen said satellite connectivity will provide limited internet to stand in for the fibre backbone in the area.

“Satellite service won’t have the same capacity as fibre, so communication will be limited to voice and text messaging. Congestion will be an issue but it will help reconnect the region with the rest of the country,” he said.

As power is returning to some areas in the Hawke’s Bay, some may find their mobile network coming back to life “albeit with reduced capacity”.

Brislen said that effort continues to deliver generators and batteries for emergency power to cellsites to restore access to the network for mobile devices.

Chorus' work to gain access to areas where fibre cables are damaged is “still under way” in the face of road closures.

Outages as of 3:30pm, Feb 15

2degrees

82 sites currently down.

45 sites have been restored since outages began.

2degrees is offering extra data, minutes or texts for customers in need.

Spark

114 cellsites currently down.

38 sites have been restored since outages began.

Spark is offering extra data for customers in need, mobile data for customers who have lost fibre, and has a dedicated support team for cyclone-impacted customers.

Vodafone

144 cellsites currently down.

108 sites have been restored since outages began.

Vodafone is offering extra data, minutes or texts for customers in need, and seven days’ mobile data to customers who have lost fibre.

Rural Connectivity Group (as of 12:30pm)

About 118 cellsites down (impacting all three mobile operators)