UFB deployment starts in Nelson, Richmond
South Island towns the latest to get Crown Fibre. The timetable:
The government's $1.35 billion Ultrafast Broadband (UFB) roll-out has reached Nelson and Richmond, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says.
Chorus holds the UFB contract for the two upper South Island towns, and began work this morning.
20,000 premises will be covered by the Nelson/Richmond rollout.
The first customers should be able to connect by October.
By July next year, about 6000 businesses, medical premises and households in the two regions will be covered by the network, as well as four schools, adding to the 37 schools that already had fibre connections, Ms Adams said.
Fibre will be run past the kerb.
Chorus has a free connection deal, but has yet to say what will happen when it happens at the end of the year.
Orcon and other retail ISPs have worried that customers will not be willing to pay an estimated $1000 to $2000, or more, to cover the cost of connecting fibre from the kerb to their home.
Chorus told NBR it was in talks with Crown Fibre Holdings on this point. A decision was expected in a few weeks.
Crown Fibre Holdings has a broadband locator on its home page for those seeking information on when the UFB is coming to their town or suburb.
NBR staff
Thu, 16 Aug 2012
Thu, 16 Aug 2012
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UFB deployment starts in Nelson, Richmond
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