7:30pm update
Today our big priority has been making sure all our people and their families are safe, and we’ve accounted for all our folk right across the Telecom Group. Like many of you, we have people seriously affected and we’re doing everything we can to support them and their families.

We continue to focus on supporting emergency services, civil defence, health and safety and government agencies as they mobilise people and resources in Christchurch to lead and support the rescue effort.

The Christchurch network remains affected by physical disruption and ongoing power issues, particularly in the eastern parts of the city. Our team on the ground and across the country is working around the clock to provide every support possible to Christchurch.

Our data centres remain operable and our managed networks are performing well. As the needs of the emergency service providers have been sustainably met, we’ve started to work with core service providers to maintain other essential communications services.

Tomorrow we will provide another update on our work to support the people of Canterbury by maintaining and restoring ICT and telecommunications services in the region.

We are committed to supporting Canterbury every step of the way back.

Kia kaha

Chris Quin

CEO Gen-i Australasia

2:30pm update
I am writing with another update from Gen-i and Telecom on our work to support the people of Canterbury by maintaining and restoring ICT and telecommunications services in the region.

It has been humbling and inspiring to witness the stories on how people and organisations in the Canterbury region, across New Zealand and worldwide are all rallying to help.

Right now, our first priority continues to be on supporting the emergency services, civil defence, health and safety and government agencies as they continue to mobilise people and resources in Christchurch to lead and support the rescue effort.

We are committed to being there to support these efforts every step of the way back.

The current situation for the Telecom and Gen-i communications and IT services in Canterbury is as follows:

• Our big priority has been making sure all our people and their families are safe, and we’ve very nearly accounted for all our folk right across the Telecom Group.  Like many of you, we have people seriously affected and we’re doing everything we can to support them and their families.
• We have seen a good response to Telecom’s campaign to collect analogue landline phones from around the country to distribute to people in Christchurch without power who only have cordless landline phones which are reliant on power. These phones plug straight into a jack-point and don’t require mains power.  Spare analogue phones can be dropped into any Telecom store during retail opening hours.
• The network is still affected by ongoing power issues, particularly in the eastern parts of the city, and physical disruption caused by Tuesday’s earthquake.
• Our focus remains on restoring and maintaining mobile cell sites in the CBD. All central city cell sites that are operational have been connected to generators to keep them running. 
• Our data centres remain operable.  Our ICT Operations teams are monitoring our Christchurch data centre sites closely with temperature and humidity levels stable.  Access to our 109 Hereford Street site is restricted due to the nearby Hotel Grand Chancellor in danger of collapse, but our generators are well fuelled to sustain service for a long period of time and we are working with clients to maintain services remotely.  
• Our managed networks are performing well.  As the needs of the emergency service providers have been sustainably met, we’ve started to work with core service providers to maintain other essential communications services.
• Telecom has delivered a further 33 generators from around the country with assistance from the New Zealand Air Force. These are due to arrive in Christchurch shortly to assist cell sites that are still without mains power.
• 111 services are operating smoothly and emergency services are steady.
• Chorus has asked Canterbury residents who are experiencing disruption to their landline or broadband service, to contact the company that provides their internet and phone services directly to log a fault. This will help Chorus to ascertain the true extent of network damage, enabling them to plan and restore service as quickly as possible.

For updates
If there is anything more that we can do to support your business and your people during this time, please contact your Client Manager, myself or your normal service contacts at our MCC. Alternatively, please visit www.gen-i.co.nz, www.telecom.co.nz, as well as @Geni_ICT or @chrisjquin on Twitter and Facebook for further updates.

It is hard to capture in words the pain and loss felt by the people of Canterbury and across New Zealand. We all feel connected to the suffering and pray for the safe return of loved ones who are still missing.

The Gen-i team and I are all personally very committed to doing all we can to support you and the local community. 

Our efforts will continue for as long as it takes.

Kia kaha

Chris Quin
CEO Gen-i Australasia