| Hon Amy Adams Minister for Communications and Information Technology |  |
| 15 November 2013 |
Media Statement |
Good progress continues on broadband programmes
Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has today released the latest quarterly report on the Government’s ultra-fast broadband and rural broadband programmes.
An additional 21,000 end users gained access to fibre over the three months to 30 September 2013.
This means more than 320,000 end users are now able to connect to the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) network in 26 towns and cities across New Zealand.
In addition, under the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), more 137,000 rural homes and businesses now have access to fast wireless broadband, and about 56,000 rural homes and businesses have access to improved copper broadband services.
Fifteen new towers were installed and 33 were upgraded by Vodafone under the RBI.
The report also shows that almost 1900 schools are now able to connect to fibre.
In addition, 38 of the most remote rural schools in New Zealand now have access to broadband capable of peak speeds of at least 10 megabits per second. This is about four times faster than previous services.
All up, more than 75 per cent of the overall programme target for schools able to connect to faster broadband has now been reached.
Over the last quarter, the number of customers signing up to a service under the UFB programme has jumped by about 42 per cent, taking the total number to more than 14,000.
This is in line with government expectations and overseas experiences at this early stage of deployment.
Media contact: Nathan Beaumont 021 243 8412
Note to journalists: Attached is a quarterly broadband deployment update (1 July – 30 September 2013)
Ultra-Fast Broadband background: UFB is a government programme to expand and develop New Zealand’s broadband services.
UFB will bring fibre optic technology to businesses, schools, hospitals, marae and homes, enabling 75 per cent of New Zealanders to access fibre to the premise by the end of 2019.
Schools, hospitals and 90 per cent of businesses in the UFB coverage area will be connected by 2016. Homes and the remaining 10 per cent of businesses will be connected by the end of 2019.
Fibre will be capable of peak speeds of at least 100 Mbps. The Government is contributing $1.35 billion to the initiative, with further investment by the UFB partners.
Rural Broadband Initiative background: The RBI has been implemented by the Government to address the specific broadband infrastructure needs of rural New Zealand.
The Government is contributing $300 million, with further investment from the RBI partners.
It will bring high-speed broadband to more than 250,000 customers, enabling 86 per cent of rural houses and businesses to access broadband peak speeds of at least 5Mbps, through fixed wireless and improved copper services.
Combined with the UFB programme, it will mean 97.8 per cent of New Zealanders will have access to faster broadband.