Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media |
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11 May 2017 |
Media Statement |
Ultra-Fast Broadband uptake over 33 per centMore than a third of New Zealanders with access to Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) are now connected, says Communications Minister Simon Bridges. The March 2017 Quarterly Broadband Update released today shows the number of households, business, schools and hospitals connected to UFB has increased 12 per cent in the past three months to 367,788. “It’s encouraging to see that strong demand for UFB is continuing, as connectivity continues to improve across New Zealand,” Mr Bridges says. “There have been around 40,000 new connections in the past three months, with more Kiwis now having access to greater speeds and being better connected.” The quarterly update also shows that deployment for phase one of the UFB programme is almost three-quarters complete, providing 1,103,000 households and businesses with access to download speeds of close to 1000 Megabits per second (Mbps). Alongside the UFB programme, the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) is continuing to deliver faster broadband to priority users and rural communities outside of UFB areas. “We’re investing approximately $2 billion in UFB and RBI programmes which, overall, will allow 85 per cent of New Zealanders to access UFB by the end of 2024, and provide vastly improved broadband in New Zealand’s rural communities,” Mr Bridges says. Further information about the Government’s UFB and RBI programmes is available at www.broadband.govt.nz. Media contact: Kristy Martin 022 015 8039 March 2017 Broadband Deployment Update:
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