Tauranga happy to get connected

The rollout of ultra-fast broadband in Tauranga should be done by June 2016.

More than 30,000 households, businesses and schools in Tauranga are now able to connect to the ultra-fast broadband network.

As of September 30, there were around 28,900 Tauranga properties connected to the network and more than 31,500 users, such as households, businesses and schools, which were able to connect.

The number of properties differs to the number of end users, as some properties have more than one potential user.

Academy Motor Inn owner Gladys Simmons, whose business has been connected to the network since July, said she hadn't noticed any drastic effects of the broadband yet, though the odd guest had commented on how good it was.

"The website and system are faster but I don't think it'll be until we get busier after Christmas that we'll notice a real difference," she said.

"If we get young people staying who want to plug in their tablet and laptop and iPod and everything else going, I imagine we'll notice a difference then."

The rollout of ultra-fast broadband in Tauranga is expected to be completed by June 2016.

Communications Minister Amy Adams said the national rollout was ahead of schedule and within budget.

"At the end of September, 536,000 end users were able to connect, putting the ultra-fast broadband build at 40 per cent complete," she said.

"For the rural programme, the build is now 70 per cent complete with 282 towers having been upgraded and 98 new towers having been built providing fixed wireless broadband to 213,000 premises."

The deployment had been focused on connecting priority users such as schools, health centres and businesses, she said. Three towns (Whangarei, Te Awamutu, Oamaru) and 2259 schools were fully fibred.

"... Better connectivity here at home has the potential to completely change how we connect with each other, how we educate our children and how we provide healthcare and other services across the country," Ms Adams said.

"Living outside the main centres no longer means a lesser level of opportunities to work, train or get specialist care ... Our best and brightest can create ideas, products and services from anywhere in New Zealand."

The rollout alone had created more than 3500 jobs around the country, she said.

The country's 33 biggest towns and cities, where 75 per cent of New Zealanders reside, were expected to be connected to the ultra-fast network by December 2019.

UFB in Tauranga

Tauranga ultra-fast broadband progress as of September 30:
*Properties connected to the network: About 28,900
*End users able to connect: More than 31,500
*Build completion: 64 per cent
*Uptake: 12 per cent

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