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What’s the best broadband for me?
With a few broadband options available, it’s good to do your homework before choosing one. Fibre is the most popular with nearly 1 in 3 Kiwis now using it to connect to the internet at home.
Fibre. It’s how we internet now.
Chorus has spent the last decade building world class broadband throughout the country. We provide wholesale access to our network to over 90 internet service providers, who then sell broadband plans to you.
Fast and reliable broadband on the Chorus congestion-free fibre network provides hassle-free streaming, video calling, emailing, posting, uploading, web browsing, streaming music... we could go on for days.
Your home broadband options
There’s different types of connections to get broadband in your home. Some perform better than others, so before choosing a plan, have a look below to understand the differences.
To learn what connection is available at your address CHECK YOUR ADDRESS
- The old school option, ADSL is broadband delivered over our legacy copper network. It’s a dedicated connection from your house to our congestion-free network.
- It still supports everyday web browsing, emails and is okay for small households to stream TV shows via On Demand, Netflix and YouTube.
- Broadband that’s delivered over 4G mobile networks. It’s a shared connection from the nearest mobile tower, so you share the network signal with others in your area. Your internet can be affected by congestion due to number of people in your area using the mobile network at the same time.
- Wireless supports a range of online activities, like web browsing, emails and video streaming.
- Broadband delivered over the Chorus copper network, it’s a dedicated connection from your house to our congestion-free network.
- VDSL is generally faster and more reliable than ADSL.
- Supports a wider range of activities than ADSL, like Ultra High Definition video streaming, video calling with apps like Skype, and uploading large files.
- The gold standard for your internet. Broadband is delivered over the newly built fibre network – and designed to make the most of it too. Fibre and Fibre Pro provide a dedicated connection from your house to our congestion-free network, providing a consistent and reliable experience at any time of the day.
- Easily supports a range of online activities without breaking a sweat, with better capacity, reliability and faster speeds than VDSL.
- Broadband delivered over the newly built fibre network but with next generation technology to enable even faster speeds.
- Hyperfibre supports all online activities that standard fibre broadband does but 40x faster and with much more data capacity.
- Great for businesses and households with very high data use.
Kiwis prefer fibre
Fibre is the preferred broadband choice that New Zealanders use to connect to the internet. It outperforms other connection types on a range of criteria, and can even add value to your home. Fibre is currently available to over 79% of New Zealand homes and businesses so if you're able to, it's definitely worth considering. For most property types it's free to install and can take just a few days to get connected.
Find the right connection for you
Not all broadband is created equal. Before you choose a plan with your broadband provider it’s good to understand the difference between the technologies and connection types available.
To learn what connection is available at your address CHECK YOUR ADDRESS
- Web browsing
- Emailing
- Download music / photos
- Web browsing
- Emailing
- Video streaming
- Streaming ultra-high definition video
- Video calling with apps like Zoom
- Uploading large files
- A wide range of online activities
- Streaming ultra-high definition video
- Online gaming
- Video conferencing
- All online activities that standard fibre broadband supports but 40x faster and with much more data capacity
Average pricing source: Glimp March 2021. Excludes modem, install and other variable costs.
* Average percentage of the time a household could stream the highest Netflix video quality (UHD) - Measuring Broadband New Zealand (Spring 2020) report, Commerce Commission New Zealand.
** These download times are an estimate and assume the best typical speed for each broadband connection type (Source: Measuring New Zealand’s broadband performance). These estimates are not a guarantee of the speed you'll get at your address. Actual download times may be longer - especially for ADSL, VDSL and fixed wireless connections. Your broadband performance can be affected by range of factors beyond the Chorus network.
*** Please note that broadband offers vary between service providers.
What makes a good internet connection?
The 100 Mbps story - why you need it
When choosing a fibre broadband plan, you’ll need to think about how fast you want your broadband connection to be. If you're streaming video or playing games online go for a speed of 100 Mbps or higher.
VDSL vs ADSL
Fibre is your best choice, delivering the highest performance with speeds up to 900Mbps. But if fibre isn’t yet an option for you, VDSL is next in line, delivering an immediate speed increase from ADSL.
Made your decision? Here’s what to do next:
Check what’s available to you
Before you sign up for a new broadband plan, find out what’s available at your address.
Contact your broadband provider
Because Chorus only manages the network, you will have to order your preferred broadband plan through your service provider. Here are some tips on what to ask for when speaking with your provider.
Unsure who your broadband provider is? We can connect you to your provider.
Didn’t recognise your provider in that list? Look up your broadband provider and then try again.
Tips for talking with your provider
To ensure you get the best possible online experience, it’s important to ask the right questions when ordering your broadband plan through your service provider. Here are some tips on what to ask.
What speed can I get?
Ask your broadband provider:
- Is this the fastest broadband connection I can get at my house?
- What speed am I going to get at my place at peak hours of the day (when more people are online)?
How much data do I need?
Ask your broadband provider:
- What happens if I go over my data cap – how much does it cost?
- If I buy a capped plan today, can I increase it free of charge within my contract period if my usage changes?
Do you have the right equipment?
Ask your broadband provider:
- Is the modem you provide fibre ready?
- What speed is the modem capable of reaching?
- Will this modem give me wifi coverage throughout my house?
Still unsure?
We hope the information on this page has been helpful, but we understand there is a lot to think about when deciding on the best broadband option for you. If you’re still unsure, feel free to share this page with a tech savvy friend or family member who might be able to help.
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