New Zealand networks company Chorus has released a three-year deployment plan for the rollout of the government's Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) fiber-based network.
Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams welcomed the release of the plan for the rollout, saying the initiative is central to the government's economic growth plan.
"The government’s broadband policies are a big part of our plans to lift the long-term performance of our economy, create jobs, and boost incomes,” she said.
The government and private sector investment in the project will reach $1.35 billion, specifically in rolling out fiber to schools, hospitals, and businesses by 2016. Links to homes and remaining businesses will completed by 2019.
The government also has a separate $300-million Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) to address the specific broadband infrastructure needs of rural New Zealand. It hopes to bring faster broadband to 86% of rural homes and businesses, with peak speeds of at least 5 Mbps.
Before the RBI was launched, only about 20% of rural homes and businesses had access to 5Mbps, and about half of the rural community used dial-up.