UFB uptake soars in Rolleston

Minister for Communications

  Media statement

UFB uptake soars in Rolleston

Communications Minister Amy Adams says Rolleston, in her electorate of Selwyn, is leading the pack in Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) uptake, at 52 per cent of households and businesses being connected.

“The latest data from local fibre company, Enable, shows the Rolleston community is one of UFB’s greatest supporters,” Ms Adams says.

“Although UFB is the standard in new subdivisions, the rate of penetration in the township’s older suburbs is just as high.”

Rolleston, 15kms south-west of Christchurch, was dubbed the “town of the future” by planners positioning it as a satellite town in the 1970’s. It’s one of the country’s fastest growing centres with growth accelerating to now having a population in excess of 13,000.

“It’s a fitting accolade that New Zealand’s town of the future should be leading Ultra-Fast Broadband adoption,” Ms Adams says.

“Fifty-two per cent uptake is an amazing achievement when compared to an already high national average penetration of 20 per cent. There are now over 200,000 UFB connections nationwide and this number is increasing rapidly.”

The Government’s partner Enable says nearly a third of all businesses in Rolleston have connected to UFB, both in the large new ‘IZONE’ industrial area and established main street companies.

“The businesses of Rolleston are typical of those throughout New Zealand and they’re seeing the very real benefits of faster and more reliable broadband,” says Ms Adams.

“UFB is quickly becoming highly sought after. In the property market, we’re seeing more and more real estate advertising listing UFB as a desirable feature, and it’s not hard to see why.”

Media contact: Julian Light 021 243 8528 or Lauren Wallis 021 918 329

Notes to editor:

The UFB build is now complete in 16 towns and cities. The first stage of the initiative will enable at least 75 per cent of New Zealanders to access fibre to the premise by 2019, with a second phase expanding reach by at least a further five per cent.