Yesterday I attended the launch of an innovative project involving the schools in the Nelson region who are embarking on an ambition project which will give them broadband access within a Virtual Private Network which they call “the Loop”.
The project is a collaboration between schools in the region and several key businesses, including Network Tasman who are the providers of PROBE for the region and Allied Telesyn who are supplying the network systems.
The project has come about due to the vision and generosity of the regional Power company who have put in an extensive fibre loop around sites in the district as part of their control systems.
Marion Hobbs, associate minister of education and Paul Swain, minister of ICT both made appearances via video conference to give support for what is happening.
I’ll follow this project with a great deal of interest as I believe it has the right ingredients for a a VPN that will deliver knowledge-age services not only to the schools in the district, but eventually to other groups and busniesses in the Nelson region.