Xtra To Launch Faster Broadband And Lower Prices

Xtra To Launch Faster Broadband And Lower Prices

13 February 2006

Broadband is about to get faster for residential customers – and a lot cheaper for business customers.

Telecom’s ISP Xtra is to launch new speeds and pricing on broadband services for both business and residential customers.

All existing residential customers will be automatically upgraded to faster plans at no cost.

The new plan line-up includes download speeds of up to 3.5 Megabits per second (Mbps) and three new services that offer an increased upload speed of 512 Kilobits per second (Kbps).

Existing residential plans will have their download speeds increased to maximum possible speeds of either 2 or 3.5 Mbps. Xtra will be progressively upgrading all current customers to the faster specifications for no change of price - and some plans will move to a lower price.

Telecom’s GM Wired Division Matt Crockett said the new plans would be launched in early April.

“Both residential and business customers will find the plans provide a great range of affordable broadband choices designed to cover the varying needs of internet users.”

“The three new Xtra Pro plans in particular will be very attractive to small businesses and customers at home who require higher speeds in both directions as well as larger data amounts each month,” Mr Crockett said.

A new entry level plan will also be introduced, and priced from $29.95 it will provide ‘a dollar a day broadband’ for people who want a basic broadband service.

“We want to attract new-to-broadband and new-to-internet customers – and this new Xtra Basic plan will help do that,” Mr Crockett said.

The simplified broadband line-up will offer the same prices for both business and residential customers. This will mean a big price drop for business customers, and follows the December determination from the Commerce Commission on the unbundled Bitstream Service (UBS) and the subsequent commercial agreement between Telecom and TelstraClear.

The new services will be available to customers from early April with existing customers receiving the upgraded speeds progressively from that month on.

The new speeds will be available to other ISPs on a wholesale basis on the same day.

ENDS

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