All Dunedin residents can now access UFB
Hon Clare Curran
Minister of Broadcasting, Communications
and Digital Media
22 June 2018 MEDIA STATEMENT
All Dunedin residents and businesses are
able to connect to ultra-fast broadband (UFB) now the
project to build the network’s infrastructure is complete,
19 months ahead of schedule.
Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Clare Curran says Dunedin has long shown an appetite for faster internet speeds.
“About 47 per cent of the city’s residents are already connected to ultra-fast broadband – 4.5 per cent higher than the national average. It won the national Gigatown competition in 2014, giving residents access to one gigabit per second fibre connections,” Clare Curran said.
“It’s also home to successful businesses that are using their technological expertise and creativity to develop new digital products and services for the global market.
“It’s great that Dunedin is leading the way in UFB connections, but 47 per cent still means more than half the people who can connect aren’t taking advantage of UFB at their door.
“This government wants all New
Zealanders to embrace digital opportunities and prosper from
them. Every New Zealander needs to be on the journey with
us; know how to access and use digital technology; and trust
the systems we have to manage and protect our
information,” Clare Curran said.
“It’s about all of
us, not just some of us.
“More Dunedin businesses and
individuals should capitalise on UFB and the city’s one
gigabit per second fibre connection to better connect with
the world and participate in New Zealand’s growing digital
economy.”
UFB is scheduled to be delivered in Dunedin’s fringe areas and Allanton, Karitane, Outram, Waikouaiti and Waitati between 2020 and 2022.
“I want to thank Chorus staff for all their hard work in completing this build, for the Gigatown initiative and their part in the national UFB rollout.”
Background:
The government’s Ultra-Fast Broadband Initiative is one of the country’s largest and most ambitious infrastructure projects.
By the end of the initiative in 2022, 87 per cent of New Zealanders, in over 390 towns and cities will be able to access fibre-to-the-premises, putting New Zealand in the top five OECD nations for access to fibre.
During the Dunedin build, Chorus has built more than 4,500 kilometres of fibre.
Existing and planned ultra-fast broadband, and other available internet access technologies, can be viewed on the interactive National Broadband Map.
Dunedin-based start-ups
capitalising on this one gigabit per second fibre
connection:
• Tussock Innovation - cutting-edge
work designing sensors to measure and monitor stormwater
drain levels.
• Code Lingo - scans code for
errors and automatically corrects them.
• The
Bison Group - developed a world-first portable
container-weighing scale in response to changes in container
shipping logistics management.
• Photonic
Innovations - uses lasers to detect toxic and hazardous gas
leaks.
Figures show that more than 50,000 unique users a
month are logging on and making the most of the free
gig-enabled hotspots in 15 locations around the
city.
ends