Telecom expands 4G network across NZ

Telecom announced today it will continue to expand its 4G network across the country with the telco set to bring 4G technology to Dunedin, Rotorua, Blenheim and Nelson by September 2014.

This follows on from the weekend launch of the fast mobile technology in Rangiora, Rolleston and Lincoln.

Telecom Retail CEO Chris Quin says more than a hundred additional 4G sites will go live before the end of the year.

“If you’re a Telecom customer living in Rangiora or Rolleston and you have a 4G-capable phone, you’re likely to see a boost in speed when you’re in one of our new 4G areas," he says.

“As more people begin to use smart devices for things like watching video, downloading books, uploading photos and getting the most out of your music on Spotify, data speeds are going to become more and more important.

"4G will allow you to do all these things in seconds, and we think these faster speeds will quickly become the “new normal” for New Zealanders, just as 3G speeds did when they were introduced a few years ago.”

Telecom recently revealed over 60% of its customer base owns a smartphone, and the average monthly data use for mobile customers on both 3G and 4G has grown by 52% over the past year.

“Once you arrive at that sort of tipping point you start to see a real change in behaviour," Quin adds.

"In particular, we’re seeing a lot more uploading of data – often driven by people posting photos or videos to social media to share their experiences with friends.

"This is a big change from the past when the pattern was very much customers downloading data, as you do when you open an image-rich website or access social media applications.

"During major events, such as the Bruce Springsteen concert in Auckland, we’ve seen uploads actually exceed downloads for the first time.

“We want to unleash New Zealanders’ potential by giving them access to the technology they need to get on and do more. Our 4G rollout is a crucial part of this.”