Enhancing the broadband network
We're busy deploying 3,600 roadside cabinets and 2,500 kilometres of new fibre optic cable as part of our commitment to enable the delivery of broadband connections between 10Mbps and 20Mbps to 80% of New Zealanders by the end of 2011.
This work is being done in conjunction with exchange technology upgrades by Telecom to benefit towns with 500 or more phone lines.
Our four-year regional plan (36kB)
We need to do this work because most of the Chorus network and exchanges were built before the Internet or home broadband became a reality. Copper wires were run out from those exchanges to homes and businesses and the runs of copper were simply extended to cover greater distances as towns or cities grew. This was absolutely fine for ordinary telephone voice services, but for modern broadband services the further away from the exchange you are, the slower the service gets.
What's the solution?
We're enhancing the broadband network by extending the reach of our fibre optic network and bringing the broadband equipment closer to customers who don't live near exchanges. New ADSL2+ broadband equipment is also being installed in our cabinets.
The result is that customers within about 2km of these new cabinets should be able to connect at the faster ADSL2+ speeds subject to factors such as their broadband plan, home or business wiring, and their modem type.
As of September 2009, more than 900,000 homes and businesses around New Zealand were within reach of fast broadband access via either telephone exchange or cabinet-based ADSL2+ equipment. This represents about 50% of the approximately 1.8M New Zealand homes connected by Chorus' network.
To find out more about the work we're doing, check the pamphlet and video below.
Chorus cabinets (811kB)
