Ultrafast Fibre releases provisional unbundled fibre pricing

Local fibre company Ultrafast Fibre has released its provisional Layer-1 unbundled point-to-multipoint service (also known as PONFAS) wholesale pricing that will apply from 1 January 2020 in their UFB1 areas.

“From 1 January next year we are required to offer Layer-1 unbundled services on our UFB1 fibre network, so today we’re releasing our provisional pricing for PONFAS,” says Ultrafast Fibre’s Chief Executive, John Hanna.

“There has been considerable discussion over the past 12 months around the complexities of unbundling and we have been working hard to define a product offering that meets our obligations, as well as being fully transparent with our key stakeholders. This advance announcement will give us plenty of lead time to work with any feedback we receive.”

Ultrafast Fibre’s provisional monthly wholesale access charges for PONFAS are:

a. $48.84 per month for the ‘Distribution Fibre’ component (the fibre connection from the customer premises to the splitter located in the roadside cabinet)

b. $184.36 per month for the ‘Feeder Fibre (including Splitter)’ component (the fibre connection from the splitter in the roadside cabinet back to the central office where the access seeker connects their own equipment)

Under this pricing construct, the total average monthly cost of each unbundled connection paid by an access seeker will vary depending on the number of customers connected to their splitter.

“Our pricing reflects the equivalence of inputs (EOI) standard we are required to apply when delivering unbundled fibre services. Providing an EOI service means it must be supplied on the same terms as we supply our current bundled services, and at a price which reflects the actual cost to deliver the service,” Mr Hanna says.

Ultrafast Fibre has engaged key customer and regulatory stakeholders throughout this process and will continue to do so as part of the EOI guideline consultation process recently announced by the Commerce Commission.

“At the same time, we will continue to invest in the reach, quality and capacity of New Zealand’s fibre broadband network infrastructure and generate an appropriate return on the $500m+ investment our community-owned shareholders have already made.

“We currently have over 120,000 active customers on our network enjoying a full range of fibre broadband benefits. Our communities can be assured of the best possible broadband experience through our existing managed services. 1 January 2020 will not result in any changes for consumers happy with their current fibre service,” Mr Hanna says.

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