The lastest NZ Government update from Communications Minister Amy Adams has been released stating that thanks to the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) and Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) rollouts, more than 1.2 million New Zealanders can now connect to faster and more reliable internet.
By the end of March, uptake of UFB had nearly reached 200,000, or 21.3 per cent of those with access to it nationwide. The main build (past homes and businesses) of UFB has now been completed in sixteen regional towns.
“Now, more than 921,000 households, businesses, schools and hospitals are able to connect to the UFB network, and more than 285,000 rural premises are able to access a RBI service,” stated Ms Adams.
“Access to better broadband means more New Zealand businesses and students can make the most of the digital economy.”
“The RBI continues to extend coverage to rural areas across New Zealand and uptake of these services by both residential and business customers has reached 37.3 per cent,” says Ms Adams.
A total of 142 newly built Rural Broadband towers are in operation, making the new tower build 92 per cent complete. This year, over two million individual mobile devices have accessed services from the new RBI towers.
“Tower upgrades are now 87 per cent complete, with 338 RBI towers upgraded. New and upgraded towers have meant around 269,000 homes and businesses in rural areas are able to connect to 3G or 4G fixed wireless.
“Nearly 1200 cabinets in rural areas have been upgraded under the RBI, meaning that over 108,000 rural households and businesses can now access faster copper broadband,” says Ms Adams.
Under the UFB, RBI and Remote Schools Broadband Initiative programmes 2489 schools are now able to connect to a faster broadband service.
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