UFB build completed in Levin as Otaki begins

July 10, 2017

UFB build completed in Levin as Otaki begins

The Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) build in Levin is now complete, providing an additional 8,507 households and businesses in the Manawatu-Whanganui region with access to fibre.

Communications Minister Simon Bridges was in Levin today to celebrate the completion of the build and to mark the start of the UFB build in Otaki under the second phase of the Government’s UFB programme.

Levin is the 22^nd town to have its UFB build completed under phase one.

“With the completion of Levin, deployment of phase one of UFB in the Manawatu-Whanganui region is now almost 90 per cent complete,” Mr Bridges says.

“More and more, people are getting online and taking advantage of having a faster connection. As of March 2017, Levin’s UFB uptake was around 20 per cent, with more than 1,500 connections. This is more than double the number of connections at the same time last year.”

Nationwide, the first phase of the Government’s UFB programme is more than three-quarters complete with more than one million households and businesses able to connect to fibre.

“Faster broadband is absolutely critical to our regions, and we’re making great progress in rolling out UFB even further under phase two of the UFB programme. Just down the coast, Otaki is the first town in the Wellington region to begin its build,” Mr Bridges says.

“Once it’s completed in the second half of next year, another 3000 households and businesses in the Otaki area will have access to fibre.”

Under phase two of the UFB programme, fibre is also being extended to a number of towns in the Wairarapa including Carterton, Featherston, Greytown, Martinborough and in fringe areas on the Kapiti Coast and Upper Hutt.

“This will contribute to the region’s growth and economic prosperity by enabling businesses located in the region to connect to faster, more reliable internet,” Mr Bridges says.

Further information about the Government’s UFB programme, including deployment progress and regional information is available at www.broadband.govt.nz.

Media contact: Kristy Martin 022 015 8039