Regions Benefit As CLEAR Extends Broadband Network

5 September 2001

CLEAR Communications continues its rapid broadband network expansion throughout New Zealand with the announcement of seven additional regional centres benefiting from increased availability of broadband Internet access.

The company is spending around $150 million this year expanding its state of the art broadband networks enabling more businesses to take advantage of CLEAR Net's Tempest high-speed Internet access service and other leading e-business solutions.

In response to strong customer demand for high speed Internet regionally, CLEAR's Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) delivery is now available to businesses in Palmerston North, Tauranga, Hamilton and Christchurch. Meanwhile Mt Maunganui, Napier and Rotorua can take advantage of wireless broadband delivery through CLEAR's recent rollout of Spread Spectrum Radio (SSR) in these areas.

"Increasing regional businesses access to CLEAR Net's fast growing Tempest high speed Internet access service enables real cost and performance advantages ultimately enhancing the businesses bottom line. The Tempest service allows businesses to leverage software hosted by Application Service Providers such as CLEAR Net's Envision service." says CLEAR's manager of Internet access, Lindsay Cowley.

Response from the regional centres has been exceptional says Mr Cowley - with many small to medium businesses choosing to take advantage of the newly available Tempest high speed Internet access service.

"Because CLEAR Net Tempest is quickly and easily deployed, able to transmit and receive large volumes of data, and offers real value to customers thanks to our flat rate pricing option, we have seen significant uptake in the regional centres," he says.

"As CLEAR has invested in multiple broadband technologies such as DSL, SSR and Frame Relay rather than trying to pick a single technology champion, CLEAR can now quickly extend the reach of the Tempest service beyond the major urban areas and into regional local markets," he adds.

"CLEAR is committed to delivering a full spectrum of broadband services, from access to applications, to as many business customers as possible throughout New Zealand - we deliver world class business solutions that enable customers to realise efficiencies of both time and money, - and at the end of the day that is what the Internet is all about" .

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.clear.co.nz/

ENDS

About CLEAR: CLEAR is the leading alternative information communications supplier in New Zealand and the country's second-largest Internet Service Provider. The rollout of broadband, e-business, wireless access, mobile services, convergent solutions and Internet solutions is CLEAR's focus.

CLEAR provides competitive services to nearly half a million New Zealand customers and has invested over three quarters of a billion dollars in rolling out advanced networks, including broadband and business access for small and medium businesses in over 30 CBD, regional and provincial Zealand centres. The company is investing $150 million this year to improve access to its broadband networks and leading range of products and services.

Some of CLEAR's key investments over the past three years include:

* $120 million to extend our fibre optic network in the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch CBDs and other main centres.
* $40 million to purchase capacity in the Southern Cross cable to increase CLEAR's international bandwidth.
* More than $10 million on upgrading the North Island fibre optic network with more than 250km of fibre optic cable being laid between New Plymouth and Hamilton.
* A $2 million infrastructure upgrade to CLEAR Net, CLEAR's Internet Service Provider.
* Installing a $5.5 million switch in Christchurch.

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