6000 new UFB customers last quarter

New Zealand's state-backed Ultrafast Broadband (UFB) fibre network added more than 60,000 new connections last quarter, taking the total number of subscribers to just under 669,000.

The rollout of the network, which is being led by wholesale operator Chorus under contract with the government, is now 76.3% complete.

This represents nearly half of the roughly 1.4 million New Zealand households and businesses in the current UFB coverage area, according to the latest report into the government's UFB program.

The report from the New Zealand Ministry of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media found that the UFB project is on track to meet its target of making the network available to 87% of the population across around 390 cities and towns by the end of 2022.

The government's concurrent Rural Broadband Initiative Phase 2, as well as the Mobile Blackspot Fund, is also helping to improve the nation's broadband infrastructure.

Under the two programs, over 70,000 rural households and businesses are expected to receive new or improved broadband, while around 1000 km of state highway and over 100 tourism attractions are expected to receive nationwide mobile coverage.

During phase 1 of the program, 154 new towers were built, while over 111,000 copper lines and 387 existing towers have been upgraded.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Creativa Images

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