Year three ultra-fast broadband deployment plan released

Minister for Communications and Information Technology 

             Media Statement

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the release of Chorus’ year three deployment plan for the rollout of the Government’s Ultra-Fast Broadband programme.

Chorus today confirmed that work to deploy the UFB network in Feilding, Gisborne, Greymouth, Kapiti, Levin, Pukekohe, Upper Hutt and Waiuku will start between July 2013 and June 2014.

Once work has started in the regions covered in Chorus’ year three deployment plan, the UFB rollout will have commenced in 32 towns and cities throughout New Zealand.

Ms Adams says the deployment plan released today shows good progress is being made on a project that will ultimately transform the New Zealand economy.

“The UFB initiative is central to the government’s economic growth plan. The Government’s broadband policies are a big part of our plans to lift the long-term performance of our economy, create jobs, and boost incomes,” Ms Adams says.

“The future of broadband is in fibre, and it will bring significant gains for productivity, innovation and global reach.”

The UFB initiative involves Government investment of $1.35 billion – alongside private sector funding – to roll out fibre to schools, hospitals, and 90 per cent of businesses by 2016, and links to homes and remaining businesses completed by 2019.

The Government has a separate $300 million Rural Broadband Initiative to address the specific broadband infrastructure needs of rural New Zealand.

It will bring faster broadband to 86 per cent of rural homes and businesses, with peak speeds of at least 5Mbps.  Before the RBI was launched, about 20 per cent of rural homes and businesses had access to 5Mbps, and about half of the rural community used dial-up.

Media contact: Nathan Beaumont 021 243 8412