Dunedin Leads the Way as New Zealand’s First GigCity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2015

Dunedin residents are toasting last year’s Gigatown win with a new GigCity Dunedin moniker and with what’s believed to be the country’s fastest public Wi-Fi available free in the Octagon from today.

Gigabit Wi-Fi is more than 50 times faster than the average public Wi-Fi and has been made available thanks to collaboration between The Digital Community Trust (DCT), Chorus, Dunedin City Council (DCC) and Unifone.

Gigatown was a Chorus competition to educate and inspire New Zealanders about the possibilities connection with ultra-fast broadband provides. After 13 months of community support and local pride Dunedin was announced as the winner in November 2014.

With the win behind it and after months of work to maximise city connectivity the DCT has moved to activate the win with the new GigCity Dunedin brand.

Speaking about GigCity Dunedin, DCT Chair John Gallaher said the fresh new look signaled the beginning of an exciting phase that he believes is a game changer for the southern city. “Gigatown was a competition hosted by Chorus. The competition is finished and we are now leveraging the win and the Gig technology. Dunedin is now a gig city – the only one in New Zealand.”

“The GigCity Dunedin brand says we are pleased to have the opportunity to lead the country in Smart City technology by having the fastest connectivity in the Southern Hemisphere.”

“Dunedin now has one of the fastest public Wi-Fi networks in the country and that’s just the beginning. We expect to expand the availability of Gigabit Wi-Fi to other sites around the city in time.”

We are also pleased to announce the establishment of the GigCity Community Fund. The Fund is for community innovators exploring the use of ultra-high speed broadband technologies to enhance the development, experimentation and implementation of community, learning and workforce opportunities in Dunedin.

Applications for grants of up to $20,000 open on Saturday 10 October and close on Friday 6 November 2015. Details of the GigCity Community Fund can be found www.gigcitydunedin.co.nz

ENDS.

EDITORS’ NOTES

The Dunedin Community Trust is a voluntary organisation established to administer and promote GigCity Dunedin. Its members are: John Gallaher (Chair), Peter Hills, Mike Harte, Mike Collins, Mike Horne, Sarah Simmers, Andrew Whiley, Jinty MacTavish and Paulette Tamati-Elliffe.

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