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What is ultrafast broadband?
Broadband is defined by the International Telecommunications Union as a service which provides transmission capacity in excess of 2.0 Megabits per second (Mbps). Ultrafast broadband is generally defined as services which deliver much faster speeds, in excess of 25 Mbps.
For the purposes of the New Zealand Government's Ultra-Fast Broadband initiative, having access to Ultra-Fast Broadband is taken to mean the availability of broadband services at a minimum speed of 100 Mbps downstream (from the internet to the user) and a minimum of 50 Mbps upstream (from user to the internet).
What does deployment mean?
Over the next four years fibre optic cable will be deployed throughout the Wanganui urban area, through underground piping ducts and overhead lines.
In the defined areas fibre will be provided right up to your property boundary. When a customer is connected the fibre duct will be extended from the boundary to the premises and fibre is then installed ending in a small, discreet box called an Optical Network Termination (ONT) unit which will normally be located somewhere within the premises. For overhead electricity supply areas the fibre drop lead will be run overhead to the premises and through to the ONT. There is not expected to be any charge for residential connections, unless you are more than 30 metres from the road frontage.
Transfield Services has been appointed as the contractor to build the network in the Wanganui area.
When will deployment happen in my area?
The initial deployment for the first six months (until December 2011) covers parts of the Central Business District, Cooks Gardens and Maria Place, Queens Park, areas of Carlton behind Whanganui Hospital up to Jackson Street, parts of Gonville around Abbot Street down to Heads Road and the industrial area between Heads Road/Beach Road and Gilberd Streets.
The next phase of deployment (January to June 2012) includes parts of Gonville and Heads Road, Springvale between Carlton Avenue and Grey Street and around Springvale Park and part of St Johns Hill. Click here to see the planned deployment.
Regular updates and maps of the next areas where deployment will take place will be published in the local media, and on the council's and UBL's website.
All households will receive a notice in their letterbox before work starts in their area.
The deployment will happen over a period of five years.
When can I actually connect to ultrafast broadband?
The first phase of the process is deployment. Once fibre optic cables reach your boundary and you have been advised that the network is now available for connection you, can then choose a retail service provider (who will sell you a broadband package) and they will arrange connection for you.
Retail service providers in the Wanganui area are currently being sought in readiness for the deployment of broadband. It is likely that a number of retail service providers will offer packages with different benefits and advantages. It is anticipated that connections will start mid-2012.
Where can I find out more?
You can visit the Ultrafast Fibre and Crown Fibre Holdings websites to find out more. Click the links in the right hand column of this page.
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