Mobile and internet outages spread across the North Island
Tuesday, 14 February 2023
Thousands of mobile and internet users are without reception as Cyclone Gabrielle batters the North Island.
On Monday the telecommunications sector activated its Telecommunications Emergency Forum to prepare for Cyclone Gabrielle.
NZ Telecommunications Forum (NZTF) chief executive Paul Brislen said the country’s networks were largely undamaged, but there were outages on Tuesday due to a lack of power supply.
“Each telco is working to ensure cell sites operating on batteries are optimised for power saving. Network teams are working to get generators out to the key nodes around the networks to ensure they will continue to operate.”
**READ MORE:
* In pictures: Cyclone Gabrielle sparks flooding, broken trees, storm surges
* Aucklanders seen surfing as Cyclone Gabrielle descends on region
**
Chorus reported two fibre lines were damaged in the eastern part of the North Island - the Taupo to Napier line and one running across the north of the region, which was affecting mobile coverage in the Hawkes Bay region for all providers, on top of the power problems.
“Teams are working to locate the fault or faults on the line, but this work is hampered both by the weather and by access to the lines. Staff safety is of paramount concern in such situations, so the teams will be proceeding carefully.”
Vodafone NZ was still experiencing phone and internet connection issues in the Far North, Auckland, Franklin, Kaipara, Rodney and Whangarei districts.
In an update to Twitter on Monday night chief executive Jason Paris said 70 sites were down across its network - 45 in Northland, nine in Auckland, four in Waikato and 12 in Thames-Coromandel.
But by Tuesday morning approximately 115 Vodafone cellsites were offline – 46 in Northland, 18 in Auckland and 30 in the central North Island
Spark had 136 cellsites offline due to power cuts. An emergency generator had been sent to Muriwai to assist emergency services and restore cellphone coverage there.
On the Spark website it said there were a number of mobile sites which had lost mains power and battery reserves.
“These sites are difficult to access with the current conditions. Our teams are doing everything possible to keep our customers connected during this time whilst ensuring the safety of our teams on the ground.”
Spark customers who had both broadband and mobile with Spark could get extra data loaded on to their mobile if they could not access broadband.
It was experiencing mobile outages in the Far North, Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, Tauranga, Hawke’s Bay and New Plymouth districts.
2degrees in the upper North Island were also dealing with mobile network outages.
125 of its cellsites were offline mostly due to power cuts. Gisborne and Taupo were offline for both fixed and mobile service due to fibre cuts.
The Rural Connectivity Group had approximately 96 cellsite offline, which was impacting all 3 mobile operators.
There were 34 in Northland, nine in Auckland and 53 throughout the rest of North Island.