Chorus outage strikes bum note for businesses
Just how much a major phone and internet outage across the district cost the economy is yet to be determined but it could be significant.
On Friday Chorus' 96-fibre cable was damaged in a fire under the Tauranga Harbour Bridge just before 10.30am.
It resulted in phone and broadband outages to about 3000 home and business customers across several providers.
A Spark spokesman said the damaged cable cut services between
Mount Maunganui and Otumoetai, which affected many customers in the Te Puke area.
Spark customers in Te Ranga, Pukehina, Maketu¯, Paengaroa and Matata were also without internet while Spark teams worked with Chorus to get the fibre cut fixed and services back up.
Chorus' head of external communications, Steve Pettigrew, said services were restored by 1am on Saturday.
Te Puke Economic Development
Group managing director Mark Boyle said the outage had a significant “widespread” impact on residents and businesses in the area.
He said he was aware some packhouses had to cancel their night shifts on Friday night and the overall cost to the local economy would also be significant.
“I couldn't even start to estimate how much, but it won't be a small number.”
Mark said the outage was a reminder of how vital it was to have a back-up fibre security system and also a back-up communication system to inform customers.
Te Puke Economic Development Group chairman Paul Hickson, who operates his accountancy business and a kiwifruit operation from home in Pongakawa, agreed.
He noticed his internet was down about 11.30am.
“We are used to power outages out here from time to time but there was a significant impact on those living and working in the Te Puke area.”