Chorus has confirmed plans for the deployment of Ultra-Fast Broadband in years’ four and five of its fibre build programme, as the company insists it remains "on track."
The telco says yhe July 2014 to June 2016 plan will see work being in the last of the 24 candidate areas, Waiheke Island in Auckland, as well as finishing work in nine other provincial towns and cities.
These are Blenheim, Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru by the end of June 2015 and Waiuku, Rotorua, Taupo, Greymouth and Queenstown by the end of June 2016.
Chorus GM of Infrastructure Build, Ed Beattie, said the announcement sees Chorus and the government’s UFB build programme on course to extend the reach of its fibre network further, so that more New Zealanders can have access to high speed broadband services.
“Years’ four and five of our build will see Chorus deploy fibre to over 250,000 New Zealand homes, schools, medical centres and businesses," he said.
"This will bring the number of customers in Chorus areas who are able to connect to UFB to more than half a million.
“We plan to have completed around 57 percent of our UFB coverage target by June 2016.”
Chorus is also working with local councils, communities and the industry to help them make the most of UFB when it comes to their area.
In line with UFB policy, fibre is being delivered first to priority customers including schools, hospitals, medical facilities and businesses.
By the end of 2019, the company will have extended the reach of its existing 29,000km fibre network to deploy UFB past more than 830,000 urban homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and medical facilities throughout New Zealand.
To keep up to date with Chorus’ UFB roll out plans, customers can view an online map which outlines UFB candidate areas and the first five years’ build plans at www.chorus.co.nz/maps
