Chorus has today finished work on a new fibre-fed broadband cabinet in Benneydale, meaning local residents can now benefit from better broadband services in the area.

Chorus General Manager of Infrastructure Ed Beattie says there is no question that access to better broadband makes a significant difference to the lives of rural New Zealanders.

“Chorus has always been passionate about improving rural connectivity throughout New Zealand. That’s why we are pleased to be able to deliver improved broadband to the residents of Benneydale.”

On a personal level, more reliable and consistent broadband speeds will provide faster upload speeds for photographs and images, faster download speeds for music and movies, and better, clearer video conversations with friends and family, he says.

“However better broadband also helps rural businesses connect easily to the world and run applications from cloud-based services, reducing IT costs and improving business resilience.

“In practical terms, for rural businesses, such as farms, this means better connection to services like livestock improvement records and markets overseas, as well as improving time management through online purchasing. Technology plays a big part in modern farming and now residents in Benneydale can be part of that.

“By upgrading the infrastructure in Benneydale, it not only means broadband will now be more consistent and reliable, in some cases it also means that people who have previously been on a waiting list for a broadband service can now access one.”

Mr Beattie says that although the broadband network has been upgraded, residents in Benneydale also have an important part to play in making the most of the upgraded broadband capability.

"A customer's broadband service is also affected by factors including their broadband internet connection plan, modem, computer, the wiring in their home or business and distance from the cabinet.

“We also encourage residents to talk directly with their internet service provider to find out how they can be connected to our upgraded network.”

The work in Benneydale is part of Chorus’ involvement in the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative. As part of this work, Chorus is installing about 1200 fibre-fed cabinets to rural areas throughout New Zealand. This means that about 57 per cent of rural New Zealand will have access to fixed line broadband, and more than 30 per cent of homes, farms and businesses supplied via Chorus’ new cabinets will be able to access a VDSL broadband service with speeds in excess of 20 Mbps. This is the fastest service over Chorus’ existing copper network.

The estimated cost of Chorus’ RBI work is in the range of $280-$295 million, with Chorus contributing 15-20 per cent of the cost.

For more information about the improved broadband services now available in Benneydale, people can go to www.chorus.co.nz/maps, or call their internet service provider.