Towns benefit from fibre introduction

Western Bay mayor Garry Webber says in this day and age UFB is a fundamental part of everyday way of life.

Katikati, Omokoroa, Te Puna and Waihi Beach and among more than 150 towns to benefit from ultra-fast broadband (UFB) following announcements by Prime Minister Bill English and Communications Minister Simon Bridges on the rollout, providing up to 85 per cent of Kiwis with access to fibre by the end of 2024.

Chorus has reached an agreement with Crown Fibre Holdings to extend its ultra-fast broadband (UFB) rollout to a further 169 areas nationwide, including Maketu, Paengaroa and Te Puna in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Hamilton-based Ultrafast Fibre (UFF) will roll out ultra-fast broadband to the other three Western Bay areas to benefit - Katikati, Te Puke and Omokoroa.

Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber says the announcements are great news and reward for work that Council staff and Councillors have been doing to create a Digital Enablement Plan for the District over the past two-three years.

"We are absolutely delighted that our towns have been selected for the next rollout stage of the nationwide Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB) Project.

"In this day and age UFB is a fundamental part of everyday way of life, but for our predominantly small town and rural communities, it really helps with global connectivity. As the New Zealand economy is still primarily agricultural and horticultural, the many businesses we have behind the hedgerow, UFB is a must-have for their businesses."

More than 40,000 people in the Coromandel electorate will benefit from the UFB roll out and Coromandel MP Scott Simpson says he couldn't be happier.

"For people living in the 12 Coromandel communities receiving UFB this will be the best news they've had in a long time.

"The Coromandel electorate is one of the very big winners from the $300m investment being made by the Government."

Mr Simpson says for businesses and individuals having access to UFB will be life changing.

"Local people will benefit from being internet connected at speeds we've never experienced before. Rolling out faster, more reliable internet is a vital part of our plan to develop a productive and competitive economy."

This will make fibre available to an additional 200,000-plus homes and businesses beyond the 1.1 million customers in Chorus' existing UFB rollout areas.

Chorus CEO Mark Ratcliffe said Chorus was delighted to be working with the Government to extend the reach of fibre broadband to so many new communities.

"Fibre is undoubtedly the future of broadband. In the five and a half years that we've been building the UFB network and connecting homes and businesses to fibre, we've seen a huge upsurge in demand.

"We're particularly pleased to see many of the towns and areas soon to benefit from fibre are within the Government's Regional Growth Programme, helping to increase jobs, income and investment in regional New Zealand.

Ultrafast Fibre is owned through WEL Networks Ltd and Waipa Networks Ltd.

UFF Chief Executive, William Hamilton says the expanded network footprint - which will reach a further 22,790 homes and businesses over the next few years - is eagerly anticipated by these communities and the Retail Service Providers who will offer them fibre broadband services.

"We know smaller centres are very keen to access the same high-speed communication infrastructure as the big cities already do. Along with our partners, we are delighted to be recognised for our achievements to date and to now continue playing such an important part in expanding access to this fantastic opportunity for New Zealanders," says Mr Hamilton.

The first phase of the Government's UFB programme is ahead of schedule in delivering fibre to the premises of 75 per cent of New Zealanders by 2019.

The second phase of UFB installations will start in 2017 and be completed between 2018 and 2024.

Phase two of the build will see each build area be completed within a 12-month period to provide as little disruption as possible.

The Western Bay rollout is timed to occur between 2018-2022.

- Click here for a list of the areas to benefit from the rollout and timings.