New UFB network for New Plymouth

Construction on New Plymouth’s ultra-fast broadband network has ramped up, with local fibre company Ultrafast Fibre confirming it will have laid more than 70km of fibre in the city by July this year.

During the last six months of 2012, 17km of fibre was laid in New Plymouth, averaging around 2.5km per month.

That amount more than tripled in January and February 2013, with an average of nine kilometres of fibre being laid each month.

There are six retail service providers now offering ultra-fast broadband packages to schools, businesses and residential customers in the city.

New Plymouth District Council General Manager Planning and Policy Frank Versteeg said ultra-fast broadband was important for the future of the district.

“We’re pleased with the progress of implementation by Ultrafast Fibre and its contractors. With construction increasing, we will soon start to see the many benefits of ultra-fast broadband in our community, particularly in business, education and health," he said.

Ultrafast Fibre began constructing the ultra-fast broadband network in New Plymouth during April 2012, which remains on track for completion in 2016. Ultrafast Fibre CEO Maxine Elliott said the project continued to receive strong support from the community.

“Our goal is to bring ultra-fast broadband to the people of New Plymouth and provide a good experience for everyone from start to finish. With work increasing, there will continue to be minor disruptions in localised areas as we lay the fibre," she said.

"Our aim is to complete this work in as quickly and orderly a fashion as possible."

Ultrafast Fibre began a letterbox drop last week in New Plymouth, providing information to each premise that is able to connect to ultra-fast broadband.

Retailers offering services in the city include: CallPlus, Kordia, Orcon, Primowireless, Solarix, FX Networks and Vector Communication.