EoW November 2008

english corporate news

Amsterdam gets fibre to the houseboat

The well connected houseboat owner – Olivier Ax of Amsterdam ▲ ▲

concept specifically developed for city environment applications. “I now have ultra-fast Internet, television and telephone connection through a single cable,” says Olivier Ax, owner of the first connected houseboat. Draka Holdings NV – The Netherlands Fax : +31 2056 89899 Email : info@draka.com Website : www.draka.com

Amsterdam began the construction of a citywide, fibre optic network in 2006. Phase one of the CityNet project, which covers 40,000 households, will be completed on target this year. A contract partner since participating in the open tender in 2006, Draka Communications, together with local Dutch company Van der Berg, proposed a solution for Citynet based upon a Fibre to the Home (FTTH)

Houseboat owners can now enjoy superfast broadband speeds by connecting to Amsterdam’s CityNet, a citywide fibre optic communications network. A new type of robust optical connector has been developed, inspired by military technology, which allows houseboats to physically connect to the network upon mooring and disconnect whenever a trip is necessary.

British helping hand to international charity

“The Ukraine, in common with many Eastern European countries, has many thousands of orphans and hugely disadvantaged young people, so we were more than happy to help out,” said Marshall-Tufflex managing director Jim Fletcher. “IAT contacted us with details of the project and what it hoped to achieve by developing this new facility. Not only will it give youngsters a break, it will also provide vital health care treatment, given that the Ukraine has no effective state-funded health service.”

A charity supporting orphans and needy people around the world is preparing to build a new facility in Eastern Europe – with help from cable management specialist Marshall-Tufflex. The UK manufacturer, based in Hastings, has supplied the International Aid Trust (IAT) with a consignment of cable management products to help it fit out New Hope, a 90-bed property near the Black Sea coast, about 40 minutes from Odessa in the Ukraine. When completed next year, New Hope will operate as a holiday home for children from orphanages throughout the Ukraine, Belarus and Romania. During their stay the youngsters will also be offered charity-funded medical and dental treatment.

Marshall-Tufflex – UK Fax : +44 1424 856666

Email : sales@marshall-tufflex.com Website : www.marshall-tufflex.com

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EuroWire – November 2008