Chorus announces next towns to get UFB

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8 March 2012

Chorus announces next towns to get UFB

Telecommunications infrastructure company, Chorus, today confirms the locations where it will break new ground in the second year of its Ultra-Fast Broadband deployment.

From July this year Chorus will start building the UFB network in six more towns – Invercargill, Nelson, Oamaru, Queenstown, Timaru and Whakatane – as well as continue to extend its fibre network even further in areas where work is already underway. This means that by June 2013 Chorus will have delivered fibre past 149,000 premises.

Chorus is publishing its second year plans in advance of deployment to let retail service providers, local councils and communities know about the work which will bring fibre closer to even more New Zealand homes and businesses.

Chorus CEO Mark Ratcliffe said: “We are gaining the momentum we expected as we move into the second year of UFB build. Each week, our team lays a further 50km of new fibre optic cable past homes, schools, major health facilities and businesses. We’re excited about starting work in new towns. While plans for remaining areas are still being developed we will start work in all our UFB towns and cities in year three.”

Chorus is working with Crown Fibre Holdings on the indicative deployment forecasts for the full UFB programme and plans to share these with industry and consult with local councils over the next few months. “We will release confirmed plans each year, as we’re doing today for year two, but it’s good to give stakeholders a view of our forecasted plans so that they can make informed decisions about product development, provide input on likely demand areas and co-ordinate local works,” Ratcliffe said.

Earlier this week, Chorus also released the list of 502 schools that will be getting UFB fibre between July 2012 and June 2013.

Chorus has already begun the rollout of the new UFB network in Auckland, Ashburton, Blenheim, Dunedin, Napier-Hastings, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Taupo and the Greater Wellington region (including Masterton).

Information on all the deployment areas and the list of schools is available on the Chorus website www.chorus.co.nz/ultrafast-broadband. It features an online map that outlines the UFB roll-out for the first and second years, and identifies areas where Chorus business fibre is available today.

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.

END.

Year 2 UFB deployment plans covering the period from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013.

Auckland: Lonely Track area of Albany, Rosedale, Glenfield, Wairau Valley, Takapuna,Henderson, Freemans Bay, Ponsonby, Westmere, Newmarket, Gladstone Road and parts of Parnell, Woodbine Road area of Greenlane, Otahuhu, the remaining East Tamaki industrial area, Wiri and the George Bolt Memorial Drive area of Mangere.

Ashburton: Some areas of Tinwald and Allenton.

Blenheim: The western areas of Redwoodtown and Riversdale and the southern Springlands suburbs.

Dunedin: Central and South Dunedin, some areas of Kenmure and Kaikorai, and the remaining North Dunedin suburbs.

Invercargill: Central Invercargill, Gladstone and the Kew Road area of Kingswell.

Napier-Hastings: In Napier; central Napier, along Marine Parade and the Bridge Street area. In Hastings; central Hastings and the Orchard Road area.

Nelson: Central and south Nelson, and central Richmond area.

Palmerston North: Some areas of Cloverlea, Milson and Kelvin Grove.

Oamaru: Central Oamaru and some streets in the Perth Street and Arun Street area.

Queenstown: Central Queenstown area.

Rotorua: Some areas of Ngongotaha, the commercial areas along state highway 30 , and some areas of Glenholme and Utuhina.

Taupo: Remaining areas of central Taupo, and some areas in Tauhara, Hilltop and Richmond Heights.

Timaru: Washdyke, Smithfield, central Timaru, and some areas across Marchwiel, Gleniti,Westend, Waimataitai and Redruth.

Greater Wellington region, including Masterton: Hutt City (Seaview Road, central Petone and Lower Hutt area), Porirua (central Porirua and some areas of Tawa),Wellington (the commercial areas bordering Centennial Highway, central Johnsonville, Eastern Hutt Road and Thorndon area), Masterton (central Masterton and some areas of Solway).

Whakatane: Some of the commercial areas bordering The Strand and Commerce Street area.

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