Chorus has today finished work on a new fibre-fed broadband cabinet in Rotokawa meaning more local residents can now benefit from better broadband services.
Chorus general manager of infrastructure Ed Beattie said the work in Rotokawa would no doubt be well received by residents and businesses.
"Slow internet speeds have been a concern for businesses and residents in this area for a while, so it's pleasing to be able to provide substantially improved infrastructure.
"There' s no question that access to better broadband makes a significant difference to the lives of rural New Zealanders, and this work programme shows how passionate we are about improving rural connectivity."
Before the cabinet upgrades, residents and businesses in Rotokawa could generally only access broadband speeds of between 1 and 5Mbps. However, during peak times, those speeds would slow considerably.
Following the upgrade, residents and businesses should now be able to experience speeds of between 10 and 20Mbps, depending on the distance to the broadband cabinet.
The upgraded cabinet will mean better quality broadband which will remain consistent in its speed during peak times.
"More reliable and consistent broadband speeds will provide faster upload speeds for photographs and images, faster download speeds for music and movies, and better, clearer video conversations with friends and family," Mr Beattie said.
"Better broadband also helps rural businesses connect easily to the world and run applications from cloud-based services, reducing IT costs and improving business resilience."
He said in practical terms for rural businesses, such as farms, this meant better connection to services like livestock improvement records and markets overseas, as well as improving time management through online purchasing.
"Technology plays a big part in modern farming and now residents in these areas can be part of that.
"By upgrading the infrastructure, it not only means broadband will now be more consistent and reliable, in some cases it also means that people who have previously been on a waiting list for a broadband service can now access one."
Mr Beattie said although the broadband network has been upgraded, residents and businesses had an important part to play in making the most of the upgraded broadband capability.
"A broadband service is also affected by factors including broadband internet connection plan, modem, computer, the wiring in the home or business and distance from the cabinet.
"We also encourage residents and businesses to talk directly with their internet service provider to find out how they can be connected to our upgraded network."
Communications minister Amy Adams said she was thrilled Rotokawa now had faster broadband services.
"Reliable access to the internet at home and at work and better mobile coverage where you are means better business tools, more ways to connect with customers and suppliers, new technologies for precision agriculture to explore, as well as more incentives for young people to stay in the area - these are some of the opportunities for your community.
