IN DISCUSSIONS: Chorus corporate relations general manager Ian Bonnar says it will be some time before rural customers will have access to ultrafast broadband. Photo Mark Rieder D4317-05
LAST Friday Chorus officially announced the completion of its ultrafast broadband (UFB) connection to Whakatane but it may be some time before surrounding rural customers benefit.
Communications minister Amy Adams acknowledged the lack of UFB outside larger urban areas in a media release.
“While celebrating Whaka-tane’s build completion, I’m conscious there’s still more to do to improve connectivity throughout the Bay of Plenty,” she said.
At the announcement ceremony, held at White Island Tours on Friday, East Coast MP Anne Tolley said the UFB coverage was not yet available in Ohope or Coastlands.
“As an Ohope resident, I’m happy to keep talking to my ministerial colleague that actually Whakatane township is not quite complete,” she said.
Mrs Tolley said the next stage should be announced shortly.
“We’ve also committed an extra $150 million to extend the rural broadband initiative.
“I understand that commercial negotiations for that second phase are under way and I’m sure minister Adams will be making an announcement soon,” she said.
Chorus corporate relations general manager Ian Bonnar said a separate tendering process was required to connect some of the smaller urban areas and rural customers to the high speed network.
“There are parts of the network that aren’t up to scratch. There are areas where we want to extend fibre [and] we’re in discussions with the Crown about that,” he said.
He said though other companies could take part in the tender, Chorus was hopeful it would be awarded the contract.
“We’re entirely incentivised to keep upgrading the infrastructure, keep improving it and making it as good as possible for as many people as possible,” he said.
He said in some cases rural customers might have access to high-speed internet, but they would have to contact their internet service providers to find out.
But for rural residents without UFB access, such as Awakeri’s Tiena Jordan, the lack of UFB means paying extra fees to obtain a faster internet connection.
“I had to buy a USB mobile broadband stick, which costs me $90 a month, which I feel is penalising me,” she said.
She said dial-up connections were unreliable and would sometimes cut out while she was online.