14 Nov 2012

Youth award given to cellphone site programmer

6:38 am on 14 November 2012

A computer programme that makes it easier to set up mobile phone networks in mountainous or difficult terrain has won a Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Award for its designer.

The awards recognise outstanding achievement by five young Pacific people.

Douglas Quensell, 23, who is the only Tongan studying electrical engineering at Auckland University, has designed a computer simulation that works out the best locations for cellphone towers on Pacific islands.

Mr Quensell and the other winners received their awards from John Key at Parliament on Tuesday.