TelstraClear has announced the most ambitious unbundling programme to date, with 42 exchanges around the country now live, and a further 20 exchanges to be unbundled next month.

TelstraClear CEO Allan Freeth says more than 220,000 homes and businesses will have access to the new broadband network, in which the company has invested over $25 million.

“This allows us to double the reach of our existing fibre-enabled cable networks so we can continue to do what be do best - offer choice and competition," he says.

“TelstraClear was at the forefront of campaigning for the opening up of exchanges and creating a true competitive environment. We’ve achieved that and can now deliver true choice to hundreds of thousands of Kiwis across the country.”

Residential plans start at $79 per month and the telco is also promising faster service for those customers that switch over, with a new automated ordering process reducing the installation time from 27 days down to five.

Freeth says the unbundling programme is the single biggest infrastructure project for the company in recent years. Over 80,000 hours have been logged with more than 200 staff working on the project and 6,000 tests completed.

The list of exchanges unbundled by TelstraClear to date is:

Auckland Region

Airedale, Avondale, Glenfield, Henderson, Howick, Mangere, Manurewa, Mt Albert, Mt Eden, New Lynn, Papakura, Papatoetoe, Ponsonby, Remuera, Takapuna, Blockhouse Bay, Ellerslie, Forrest Hill, Glen Eden, Mt Roskill, Onehunga, Pakuranga, Mayoral Drive

Rest of New Zealand Blenheim, Christchurch, Riccarton, Dunedin, Hamilton, Frankton, Te Rapa, Hastings, Napier, Marewa, Nelson, Invercargill, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Tauranga, Timaru, Wanganui, Wellington, Courtenay Place