Kiribati (pronounced as “kiribass”) is a Pacific Island nation located in the central Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator. Kiribati is spread over a vast expanse of ocean comprising of 33 atolls and reef islands. Which In terms of telecom infrastructure, Kiribati faces unique challenges due to its geographical dispersion. Given the scattered nature of the islands, achieving comprehensive coverage remains a significant undertaking. Limited resources and the threat of rising sea levels also present challenges to infrastructure development. Despite these hurdles, efforts are ongoing to enhance connectivity. Bridging the digital divide in Kiribati and supporting the nation’s socio-economic development.
The New Zealand Government is actively supporting Kiribati in many ways. One of them is to help Kiribati with their digital infrastructure. As a result that’s where Teltrac comes in.
Background
Brian Theobald, one of the founders of Teltrac Communications Ltd, is an expert in everything optical fibre. The Australasian Telecommunications Industry is well aware of his extensive expertise. Over the past 30 years, he has participated in numerous projects related to Fibre Optics. Spending a few weeks in Kiribati in 2022, and in October of this year, he was off again for a second 10-day stint. Teltrac would like to acknowledge Elemental Group, a New Zealand based go-to company for people seeking honest and expert advice on energy projects. Elemental are renowned for delivering unbiased opinions and finding best-fit solutions. Elemental Group have been instrumental in making the optical fibre project a reality.
The mission
This time around, Brian had 2 main goals:
- train the local technicians.
- supervise and coordinate repairs to the local fiber infrastructure.
Brian covered a wide range of topics in his training: from Health & Safety (eye safety, disposal of off cuts) to international ISO standards on fibre cores.
Brian led a troubleshooting and fault-finding exercise, as some of the repairs that other parties had done in recent years, had started to fail.
The results
Several fiber optic cable joints required replacement along a 7-kilometer path. Sea water is a constant threat to the infrastructure and is a complicating factor in Kiribati. And because of the extreme humidity and heavy rain, it became clear quickly that working in Kiribati is not a holiday. Brian lost a few kilograms in 2 weeks!
Unfortunately, vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure is a major problem in Kiribati. This is due to, people confuse fibre cable for copper cable and try to pull the cable out and resell the copper. The majority of the manholes or fibre pits are full of water, junk or sand. Meaning it is essential to have Lockable pit covers.
The technicians in the area possess great skills and are eager to acquire more knowledge. It is necessary to undergo further training to learn how to pull fiber optic cables through ducts, Centralise data switches and data cabling in cabinets, as well as installing extra fibre which is yet to be done, so a third visit will be required.
It’s very satisfying when things work: Brian has never seen the Power Station manager so happy, as he can now see the output from the Solar farm and can adjust the loading on the generators accordingly. This will help in saving fuel.
Conclusion
It’s fair to say that this trip was a success. As a result Brian extended an open invitation to the local technicians to come to Christchurch for training and work experience. It’s great to see the nations of the Pacific helping each other out!