Chorus begins ultra-fast broadband rollout in Dunedin

MEDIA RELEASE - 23 February 2012

Chorus begins ultra-fast broadband rollout in Dunedin

New Zealand’s largest telecommunications utility company Chorus, together with Crown Fibre Holdings, has today marked the start of the ultra-fast broadband (UFB) rollout in Dunedin by deploying new network infrastructure past the door of Dunedin Hospital.

Over the next five months, this massive programme of work will see the new UFB network deployed across North Dunedin. In addition, Chorus’ existing 270km fibre network is already available for businesses to connect to fibre today, ahead of the new network.

Chorus CEO Mark Ratcliffe said the new ultra-fast broadband network will pass some 1,400 Dunedin homes and business, as well as connect 14 local schools by July this year.

“Today we’ve taken the first step towards Dunedin’s fibre future and we’re eager to work with partners, local council and community groups to extend our network to even more suburbs in the coming year,” said Ratcliffe.

“It’s exciting to bring this infrastructure and its associated potential economic and social benefits to another major centre in the South Island,” said Graham Mitchell, CEO of Crown Fibre Holdings. “Dunedin City Council has demonstrated particular foresight in developing a strategy and a digital office to leverage these benefits.”

In line with UFB policy, fibre will be delivered first to priority customers, which includes schools, hospitals, medical facilities and businesses.

Chorus is currently hard at work with a range of retail service providers to assist them in developing phone and internet services that can run over fibre, so that residents may connect to a service using the UFB network later this year.

Chorus’ website has as an online map outlining the UFB deployment areas, its first year deployment plans and business fibre areas. This means people can check on the rollout progress and find out if they can connect to the existing business fibre network ahead of the UFB deployment.

In all, Chorus’ will extend the reach of its existing 29,000km fibre network to deploy UFB past more than 830,000 urban homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and medical facilities throughout New Zealand by the end of 2019.

ENDS.

Information on Chorus’ UFB project can be viewed online at: www.chorus.co.nz/ultrafast-broadband

Chorus’ online map outlining its UFB candidate areas, the first year deployment plans and its business fibre area can be viewed at: www.chorusco.nz/fibre-rollout-map

ENDS

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