Dunedin’s Broadband Speeds 3X Faster than Rest of Country

DUNEDIN’S BROADBAND SPEEDS THREE TIMES FASTER THAN REST OF COUNTRY

New Zealand’s first Gig City – Dunedin – is well ahead of the rest of the country in broadband speeds with an average connection speed more than three times faster than the next fastest centre.

New figures released by Chorus today have revealed New Zealand’s top ten cities for fast, fixed line broadband. Dunedin is way out in front after making the most of winning Chorus’ Gigatown competition, with an average connection speed of 196Mbps.

“Following the win, we have faced some real challenges putting in place the fruits of victory, but it is pleasing to see we are way ahead of the rest of the country in spreading the availability of gig speed across Dunedin,” Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull says.

With a 37% uptake of fibre, Dunedin households and businesses are also well ahead of the New Zealand average of 33% nationwide. At the end of February, Dunedin had 6,800 gig connections in the city, with a further 7,700 on other fibre plans. Access to fibre and reduced-rate plans offered to Dunedin residents as part of Dunedin’s Gigatown competition win have contributed to the uptake.

However, Chorus figures show fibre is available to 38,000 Dunedin premises as at the end of February. Dunedin’s Digital Community Trust Chair John Gallaher says while many Dunedin businesses and residents were taking advantage of its Gigatown win, the time to take up fibre was now.

“The fact we have just over 23,000 premises around the city with the ability to access fibre but who, for whatever reason, are choosing not to is disappointing. The reduced pricing levels that we have available to us as New Zealand’s first Gig City will not last forever and the time to take advantage of these is now.”

ENDS

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