After advocating for increase connectivity for our communities, Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board is pleased to hear that Purau, Charteris Bay and Cass Bay will soon experience state of the art fibre internet connectivity for approximately 625 premises. See the maps below for details.

Chorus is undertaking the first significant expansion of New Zealand’s fibre network since the completion of the government-supported Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) programme in December 2022 and Banks Peninsula is within their next build plans.

The Chorus-funded project will bring fibre internet to an additional 10,000 homes and businesses, spanning from Kerikeri in the North to Otatara in the South and encompassing 59 communities nationwide.

The fibre build programme was launched yesterday with Chorus’ build partner, Ventia, at an event in Waiau Pa, South Auckland.

This phase of fibre expansion is a testament to Chorus' commitment to ensuring high-speed, reliable broadband is available to as much of Aotearoa as possible.

Between 2011 and 2022, the government-supported UFB programme saw fibre rolled out to 412 towns and cities. With uptake over 70 per cent, nearly 1.4 million homes and businesses are today connected to fibre. Remarkably, in New Zealand homes with fibre, the average monthly data usage for fibre customers on Chorus' network is almost 600GB, having more than doubled in the last six years and highlighting the robust appetite for digital content and reliable connectivity.

Anna Mitchell, General Manager of Fibre Frontier at Chorus, said, "Expanding our fibre network to these 59 communities demonstrates another significant leap forward in connecting Aotearoa to world-class fibre broadband and reducing the digital connectivity divide between urban and non-urban areas.

"We are acutely aware of rural New Zealanders' eagerness to access fibre broadband. We want to take fibre further, and we remain dedicated to working alongside the Government, policymakers, and the Commerce Commission to create an environment that allows for further investment beyond this initial phase."

Chorus’ fibre build programme for the 10,000 premises has already commenced and is expected to be completed by mid-2025.  

This first phase of its fibre network expansion targets communities close to Chorus' existing fibre network, allowing for a more efficient and rapid rollout.

Research by Chorus continues to highlight that fibre remains the preferred technology choice for New Zealanders in the long term. As New Zealanders increasingly rely on digital platforms for economic and social activities, fibre stands out as a sustainable long-term connectivity solution, free from the ongoing capacity issues that wireless broadband alternatives can face.