After weeks of predictions and expert guess work, Telecom has finally announced what we already knew - a UFB network across New Zealand.

Launched officially from the company's HQ in Auckland this lunch time, the telco says it is "excited to bring the next generation of broadband to Kiwis for home, business and schooling."

With the new plans and products set to be available to customers from March 28, i.e. tomorrow, Telecom is following up its proposals to offer UFB to customers “in the early part of 2013″, as said by CEO Chris Quin last year.

Telecom says it has purposely tried to keep UFB within reach of customers given UFB is a national roll-out, meaning it’s appropriate to have national pricing.

“Our entry-level residential Ultra Fibre (Fibre 30 with 50GB) will be $95 per month based on a 12 month contract," Quin says.

"We’re confident our pricing will appeal to customers given that they will enjoy the same amount of data, with all the added benefits of UFB, for the same or not much more than they pay for their existing broadband plan.”

Quin says the Telecom has been working alongside each government partner ahead of the launch, which will be available to customers in the Chorus footprint initially due to the fact they’re by far the largest UFB partner with nearly 70% of the UFB market.

The existing Chorus footprint where Telecom Ultra Fibre will be available covers parts of Auckland as well as Blenheim, Dunedin, Hastings, Levin, Napier, Nelson, Palmerston North, Queenstown, Rotorua, Timaru and Wellington.

Ashburton, Masterton, Taupo and Invercargill can expect Ultra Fibre within the next few months, with further regions in line with Chorus’ roll-out plans.

In the meantime, Telecom is continuing to trial products with the three other UFB partners to refine shared customer processes and determine go live dates with them.

Mr Quin says the roll-out of UFB is an exciting time for New Zealand given the advancements it offers Kiwis in terms of how they communicate and connect, personally and professionally.

“We’re going through a major connectivity transformation and Telecom is here to assist customers navigate what is essentially an exciting new world with a data future," he says.

"Over the past year, broadband data usage among our customers has increased by over 70%, placing greater demands on existing broadband and mobile technology and demonstrating the growing role data plays in our lives.

“UFB will provide even better and faster online experiences like smoother streaming for multiple users and enhanced business productivity through greater time efficiencies.

"It has the potential to transform learning – better supporting our next generation of digital natives – and future proofing us for technology we can’t even imagine yet.”

Telecom has spent the past year developing and internally trialling UFB with staff in their homes, with the company now at the point it feels comfortable launching a commercial product in Ultra Fibre.

But Quin stresses refinement will continue over the coming years as more and more customers make the transition to UFB.

“We’re here to support them make the transition from ADSL broadband to Ultra Fibre," he says.

"It’s an entirely new journey for New Zealand - we anticipate a few bumps along the way - but we’re committed to making the ride as smooth as possible for our customers and will be working hard to get it right for them.”

The telco says it will assist customers through the Ultra Fibre set-up and installation process, retaining existing copper-based phone lines to service voice, monitored alarms, faxes, EFTPOS, SkyTV and medical alarms.

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