Whangarei Heads internet users will be able to enjoy faster broadband speeds by October, once a $460,000 upgrade is complete.
Telecom's network arm Chorus is deploying fibre optic cables on Whangarei Heads Rd at McLeod Bay.
Residents in the area have been experiencing slow broadband and in some cases, no broadband, because
the copper network servicing the area was originally built for voice services, well before broadband existed.
The upgrade will see an additional 7.5km of fibre optic cable deployed to connect Whangarei Heads by October, building on the 649km of fibre already in the Whangarei network.
Last year a fibre optic cable was laid in the Nook Rd area, and cable has already been laid from Nook Rd back to Whangarei. The current work will see the cable extended along Whangarei Heads Rd to the exchange at Taurikura. Once complete, customers within 2km of Taurikura will be able to connect to the internet with speeds of at least 10Mbps subject to other factors including their broadband plan, modem, computer and wiring in their home or business.
High-speed broadband will allow residents to watch live streaming HDTV broadcasts, watch DVD quality movies online and use high-quality video conferencing.
Chorus spokesman Robin Kelly said there were 11 customers in Whangarei Heads waiting for a broadband port or connection to the exchange.
There were a further 12 customers waiting for broadband in the Whangarei district.
Chorus has already laid 28km of fibre and put in 38 high-speed fibre cabinets in central Whangarei - with two more at Kamo and Maunu to be switched on by the end of the year.
Mr Kelly said the current fibre roll out project did not extend to rural customers, but Chorus was looking to work with the Government's rural broadband project to help connect these customers to high-speed broadband. He said upgrading rural areas was a huge cost for a small number of customers.
