The vulnerability of the country's communications systems were exposed in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, as much of the badly-hit east coast was left incommunicado for days.
In an era where so much is reliant on the internet, local authorities in Tairāwhiti relied on extra copies of the Gisborne Herald to get word out where possible - and the AM radio network was a vital information source.
So why did telecommunications systems fare so badly in this particular weather event?
What would it take to make them more resilient?
Dr Ulrich Speidel is a senior lecturer in computer science at the University of Auckland and has been thinking about these questions, he joins Kathryn to discuss, along with Paul Brislen, CEO of the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum.
Debris and damage at Redclyffe bridge in Taradale, Napier after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Givealittle / Waiohiki Marae
