Taupo faster broadband roll-out completed

Taupo faster broadband roll-out completed

Taupo is the first town in the North Island to have work completed on the upgrade of the local broadband network as part of Telecom’s nationwide programme to deliver faster broadband.

Chorus, Telecom’s new network access business, commenced work in Taupo in July last year to deploy 28 new roadside cabinets. The work was part of Telecom’s commitment to enable the delivery of broadband connections between 10Mbps and 20 Mbps to 80 per cent of New Zealanders by the end of 2011.

Chorus chief executive Mark Ratcliffe said each cabinet is the equivalent of a mini telephone exchange.

“About 2,700 customers are now connected to the new cabinets which contain ADSL2+ broadband equipment previously located in the local telephone exchange.

“The cabinets were required for these customers because the further you are from the equipment the slower your broadband speed is,” he said.

Taupo customers who are within about 2km of the local telephone exchange continue to receive service directly from ADSL2+ broadband equipment located at the exchange.

Mr Ratcliffe noted that although the broadband network has been upgraded, customers also have an important part to play in making the most of the new faster broadband capability.

“A customer’s broadband service is also affected by factors including their broadband plan, modem, computer, and the wiring in their home or business.

“We encourage customers within Taupo township who believe their broadband performance is still limited in some way to talk directly with their broadband service provider.”

Telecom’s faster broadband project will see Chorus install and upgrade about 3,600 Whisper cabinets, as well as connect a further 2,500kms of fibre optic cable to Telecom’s wider fibre optic network of 20,000kms by the end of 2011.

To date, 825 roadside cabinets in centres around New Zealand have been upgraded with ADSL2+ technology. About 750,000 customers will ultimately be connected to faster broadband cabinets by the end of 2011.

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