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The OPT-NC celebrates its first customers connected to fiber optics on the Loyalty Islands

The technical teams have just connected the first customers to optical fiber on the Loyalty Islands and more specifically in Lifou. A symbolic moment in a major deployment program, which marks this year 2019.

On this occasion, a ceremony was held on Thursday, July 4, 2019 at Willama Haudra High School in the presence of Mr. Jacques LALIE, President of the Loyalty Islands Province, Mr. Robert XOWIE, Mayor of the town, Mr. Erick ROSER, Vice-President. Rector in NC, Mr. Gilles UKEIWE, Headmaster of the High School, Mr. Philippe GERVOLINO, Director General of the OPT-NC as well as representatives of the office and customary.

Deployment of optical fiber in Lifou

An important step has just been taken in the fiber deployment schedule since the first subscribers have just been connected in May 2019, in Wé.

Lifou is divided into 5 technical zones. The connection works of the 1st zone, started on November 5, 2018, came to an end early 2019, allowing the connection of the first subscribers on the island.

The commune of Wé counts today 300 eligible subscribers. After 15 weeks of cable draw, the first connectable customers enthusiastically welcomed the OPT-NC teams who finalized their installations at the beginning of May.

"We are happy today to be able to celebrate this new advance in Lifou," says Philippe Gervolino. "This deployment will restore equality of treatment between the islands and Grande Terre. It will give the opportunity to all rural or island territories, whatever their population density or their development and attractiveness, to have the same services as on the Grande Terre, "he says.

1st customers celebrated

 

Among the first customers connected to the fiber are Williama Huadra high school and Wé's cyber base.

 

Very high speed is a major focus of New Caledonia's development. Optical fiber is the best support for routing telephony and very-high-speed Internet access to each subscriber, thereby promoting the emergence of new services.

The deployment of very high speed in schools will enrich the offer of traditional education through direct access to digital educational content or to set up online learning platforms, open and collaborative ... The polyvalent high school of the Williama Haudra Islands opened its doors in 1994. This public institution offers general, technological and vocational training courses. It welcomes this year 428 students from Lifou, Maré, Ouvéa and Tiga. To date, the computer park is composed of 150 computers, 24 tablets and 22 video projectors.

"Before the arrival of the fiber, the speed for Internet access in ADSL was limited to 4Mbps and a lot of use for educational purposes were constrained by this low speed and the administrative functioning," says Mr. Gilles UKEIWE, headmaster from Williama Haudra High School. "Today, the connection to the THD, guarantees the establishment a 30 megabits flow and allows the improvement of the conditions of learning of high school students with access to the online press, performing online positioning tests or still the search for information on the pursuit of studies (...) ", he continues. "This new technology will also simplify certain paperless administrative procedures such as registration exams, the Parcoursup platform, the seizure of school booklets, (...)," concludes Gilles UKEIWE.

 

This very high speed connection will thus meet the expectations of high school students, the needs of educational teams and promote the development of educational uses. By connecting the school to the fiber and allowing it to ensure a high flow for its network, the OPT-NC meets one of the priorities set by the Minister of National Education: the digital at the service of pedagogy.

"Fiber offers young people the opportunity to benefit from digital tools for their studies and contributes to equality of opportunity. Companies of all sizes, whether traditional or industrial, but also agricultural, can access the same tools as the largest companies and will have access to their customers and their suppliers quickly. It is also a guarantee of having accessible public services and facilitating formalities and procedures in optimal conditions, "concluded Mr. Gervolino.

It is in 2016 that the cyber tribe was created; this new digital space is located in the center of the island near a college, a high school, a vocational training center in the heart of the Luecila tribe. From the first months, success is at the rendezvous. This space managed by the association AJI offers an introduction and support for digital uses. Workshops are regularly organized by our two permanent animators Kamen and Ryan who accompany the young and not so young in their administrative procedures, the writing of their CV, enrollment for graduate studies ... The volunteers also offer specific training on video and the picture. This space has become a must in Lifou, conferences, film nights, concerts are organized regularly. Today, the connection to the THD, guarantees a flow of 30 megabits and allows the improvement of the services offered to the inhabitants of the island.

A dozen agents mobilized on this deployment and connection project

In mixed teams, the agents of the various technical centers of the OPT-NC and more particularly those of the telecommunication operations center of the Loyalty Islands (CETL) and the technical center based in Lifou, have already deployed more than 68 km of fiber underground and overhead. Depending on the CETL, as for Maré and Ouvéa, the technical center of Lifou operates on the whole island. The team guarantees the proper functioning of a fleet of 17 mobile sites (2G, 3G and 4G) and 5 telephone exchanges, and also maintains relations with 905 fixed line customers, 502 ADSL customers, 144 fixed customers and 21 professional customers. . More generally, the center's mission is the deployment and maintenance of telecom transport networks, landline, mobile, leased lines, Internet, broadcasting and marine VHF in Lifou and on the island of Tiga.

 

Deployment step on Lifou

To proceed with the deployment of the optical fiber on the whole island, it has been subdivided into 5 plates. A plaque is a geographical area incorporating several homes or businesses.

 

 

The first zone to be fiberized corresponds to the zone of Wé, followed by the zone of Mou then that of Chépénéhé and finally, the zone of Kedeigne and Hapetra. To follow the deployment of the optical fiber, it is possible to consult the map online, available under https://www.opt.nc/carte-de-deploiement-de-la-fibre-optique

Context and deployment strategy

Begun in early 2016, the connection of all Caledonians to optical fiber continues to progress. The teams dedicated to the deployment of optical fiber have a goal of connecting 80,000 ultra-fast broadband accesses in 2025 and ensuring full migration of the copper network to the fiber network.

Thus, New Caledonia will be further affirmed as one of the major digital players in the South Pacific with a network allowing all the inhabitants of the territory to benefit from the same quality of service and an Internet speed in adequacy with the ever-increasing uses.

In 2018, the pace of migration remained stable with an average of 365 connections per month. The same observation of stability for the number of connections to the year: it remains identical to 2017 with 4,500 connections. At the end of 2018, 11,000 customers were connected to fiber. To date, more than 13,000 customers are connected in 8 municipalities (Nouméa, Païta, Dumbéa, Mont-Dore, Bourail, Koné, La Foa and Lifou). Among the new areas soon to be open to connection are Poindimié North or Koumac South.

* Except connection requiring exceptional work or possible ISP fees.

A real public service mission, the deployment of ultra-fast broadband (THD) with fiber optics is a great tool for regional development and a major factor of attractiveness and competitiveness for the entire region which will be the first of the Pacific to be 100% connected. Our ambition is to provide THD via fiber, a suitable technology, in every home, in every company, in every public service, including in the most isolated village. It's a real social project. It is simply not staying on the information roads in a society where the flow of data becomes as important and vital as those of individuals.

Philippe GERVOLINO Directeur général de l’OPT-NC

Les 1ers clients célébrés

Parmi les premiers clients raccordés à la fibre, citons le lycée polyvalent Williama Huadra ainsi que la cyber base de Wé.

Le lycée polyvalent des Îles Williama Haudra

Le lycée polyvalent des Îles Williama Haudra a ouvert ses portes en 1994. Cet établissement public propose des formations de la voie générale, technologique et professionnelle. Il accueille cette année 2019, 428 élèves originaires de Lifou, Maré, Ouvéa et Tiga. A ce jour, le parc informatique est composé de 150 ordinateurs, 24 tablettes et 22 vidéo-projecteurs.

"Avant l’arrivée de la fibre, le débit pour l’accès à Internet en ADSL était limité à 4Mbps et beaucoup d’utilisation à visée pédagogique étaient bridées par ce faible débit ainsi que le fonctionnement administratif", explique monsieur Gilles UKEIWE, proviseur du lycée Williama Haudra. 

"Aujourd’hui, le raccordement au THD, garantit à l’établissement un débit de 30 mégabits et permet l’amélioration des conditions d’apprentissage des lycéens avec l’accès à la presse en ligne, réalisation de tests de positionnement en ligne ou encore la recherche d’information sur les poursuites d’études (…)", poursuit-il. "Cette nouvelle technologie permettra également de simplifier certaines démarches administratives aujourd’hui dématérialisées telles que les inscriptions aux examens, à la plateforme Parcoursup, la saisie des livrets scolaires, (…) ", conclut monsieur Gilles UKEIWE.

Cette connexion très haut débit permettra ainsi de répondre aux attentes des lycéens, aux besoins des équipes éducatives et favorisera le développement des usages pédagogiques.

En connectant le lycée à la fibre et lui permettant ainsi d’assurer un débit important pour son réseau, l’OPT-NC répond à l’une des priorités qu’a fixé le ministre de l’Education Nationale : le numérique au service de la pédagogie.

La Cyber tribu de Wé

La cyber tribu, créée en 2016, se situe au centre de l'île à proximité d'un collège, d'un lycée, d'un centre de formation professionnelle au cœur de la tribu de Luecila. Cet espace numérique est devenu un lieu incontournable à Lifou, des conférences, des soirées cinéma, des concerts y sont organisés régulièrement.

Aujourd’hui, le raccordement au THD, lui garantit un débit de 30 mégabits et permet l’amélioration des services offerts aux habitants de l’Ile.

Cyber tribu de Lifou