Chorus rolls out gifts to community groups

Chorus rolls out gifts to community groups across New Zealand to mark end of UFB1

Tuesday 26th November 2019

Little Fibre Miracles gifted to groups across New Zealand to mark end of fibre broadband rollout

From Waiheke Island to Mosgiel Little Fibre Miracles to appear across NZ

To celebrate the completion of the first major stage of the ultra-fast broadband rollout, Chorus is rewarding Kiwis with Little Fibre Miracles to help them take further advantage of the opportunities provided by fibre connectivity.

The Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) Initiative is one of the largest national infrastructure projects New Zealand and will build fibre-to-the-home networks covering 87% of the population by the end of 2022.

The first and largest phase of the project known as UFB1 completed last week with 28 towns and cities in NZ and more than 75% of Kiwis now having access to fibre broadband to their home or business.

To celebrate Chorus has selected 11 beneficiaries, a mix of charities, community groups and non-profit organisations, in Chorus fibre areas to receive a gift that helps them take advantage of fibre connectivity to reach their full potential.

The gifts arrived by tugboat into Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour over the weekend and will be delivered by Chorus vans as part of a 12-day road trip starting in a central North Island town later this week – taking in a range of locations from Waiheke Island to Mosgiel along the way.

Ed Hyde, Chorus’ Chief Customer Officer says the end of UFB1 is a significant milestone and a major step forward in New Zealand’s goal to be a truly connected nation so it’s only fitting it marks the milestone in an appropriate way during the season of giving.

“This is a big moment in New Zealand’s history – one of the largest national infrastructure projects New Zealand has ever seen and one of the biggest public private partnerships, delivering a world-class fibre network.

“Whether it’s streaming content to watch on TV or the growth of cloud-based business operations, fibre has changed the way we live, work and play. With Little Fibre Miracles we want to celebrate this and the difference that ultra-fast fibre broadband is making to the lives of everyday New Zealanders.”

Chorus’ Little Fibre Miracles road trip runs for 12 days from Thursday 28 November to Monday 9 December and will be in the following locations:

• Mangakino

• Waiheke Island

• Auckland

• Napier

• Wellington

• Nelson

• Blenheim

• Ashburton

• Dunedin

• Mosgiel

• Invercargill

Gift recipients will be publically announced on the morning of the day the gifts are received. The final recipient of the Little Fibre Miracles tour and gifting will be nominated by the public on Chorus’ Facebook page. Individuals are able to nominate themselves or someone else to show how fibre broadband can help build communities and in doing so win a technology gift worth thousands of dollars.

Photos and a video of the tugboat arriving are available here

ENDS

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