JOINT NEWS RELEASE ON UFBI LAUNCH

Embargoed until: 11:00am, Wednesday 24 August 2011

Councils delighted ultra fast fibre coming to the Wellington region Three of the Wellington region's mayors and the Chair of Greater Wellington Regional Council have praised the Government for its plans to bring ultra fast broadband to the region in the first year of deployment.

Mayors Nick Leggett (Porirua City Council), Celia Wade-Brown (Wellington City Council), Ray Wallace (Hutt City Council) and Chair Fran Wilde (Greater Wellington Regional Council) are delighted that Chorus and Crown Fibre will shortly be rolling out ultra fast broadband in six areas across the Wellington region. The areas listed by Chorus are Kelson, Churton Park, Melling, Mana/Camborne, Papakowhai and Whitby.

The mayors of the three cities where the fibre will be rolled out, agree ultra fast broadband will be critical to the region's economic success as well as the success of their respective areas. It will be one of the most important factors that position businesses and the region to compete in the global economy, as long as users can make good use of the new faster speeds at an affordable cost.

Mayor Wade-Brown says "This is a useful start, especially with the opening of Amesbury Primary school in Churton Park earlier this year. I really look forward to the next stage enabling businesses and households to be part of the smart, green economy along our growth spine from Johnsonville to Kilbirnie."

Fran Wilde, the Chair of Greater Wellington, says the decision validates the Wellington Regional Strategy which recognises broadband as a key priority for the region's improved economic performance.

"That's why all of the councils have been working together for the last three years through the region's Broadband Operating Group to help smooth the way for the introduction of ultra fast broadband to our region. Broadband will give a boost to developing the Wellington regional economy."

Mayor Ray Wallace said his council had worked closely with Chorus in their initial testing phase in Kelson for a world-leading micro trenching system being used for the first time in New Zealand and was pleased Kelson and Melling had been included in the year one phase of the fibre rollout.. "The decision boosts confidence in our plans to attract business and high value science-based manufacturing enterprises to Lower Hutt."

Chorus is prioritising the delivery of premium UFB business services to areas with existing Chorus fibre access and new fibre will be rolled out to commercial areas with limited fibre network and selected schools.

Fran Wilde says "All of the region's mayors look forward to further clarification of areas to receive premium business services as part of the first year of deployment and will consult with Chorus on priority areas for rollout during the next phase starting in July 2012."

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