It will provide fibre to 59 communities nationwide, including more than 1800 Rotorua households across Awahou, Gloucester Rd in Lynmore, Hamurana, Mourea, Otaramarae, Pongakawa Valley Rd, Rotoiti, Rotoma, Te Ngae and Unsworth Rd.
The Rotorua expansion was expected to add $180 m of economic benefit over the next decade, according to Chorus.
The Hamurana build area was the nation’s largest by size, and will reach 529 homes.
Some lakeside communities at Rotoiti can now access better internet connectivity. Photo / Raimona Inia
The milestone was celebrated at an event in Rotoiti on Friday.
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“It’s really positive to see investment like this going into rural Rotorua and the wider region,” said Tapsell.
“Today digital connectivity is almost essential so it’s great to see some of our rural communities now having greater options available to them.
“Increased connectivity improves opportunities for growth and development for both individual households, as well as our community as a whole.”
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell. Photo / Felix Desmarais
Chorus first brought ultra-fast broadband to 26,000 households, businesses, schools and health facilities in Rotorua city in 2016.
At the same time, three new towers improved cellphone connectivity for more rural areas as part of the Rural Broadband Initiative by Vodafone, Chorus and central government.
This was when the wheels started turning for the latest rollout.
With the natural landscape allowing only patchy coverage and unreliable broadband access, the issue came to a head during the pandemic when children and workers were asked to stay home, according to Rotorua Lakes Community Board chairman Phill Thomass.
“They had no reception and therefore a generation missed out on education,” said Thomass, who said the latest implementation was a “game-changer” for lakeside communities.
Rotorua Lakes Community Board chairman Phill Thomass with Chorus general manager of frontier Anna Mitchell and Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell at Friday’s event. Photo / Supplied
“Along with sewage reticulation, it means people can live here permanently, work from home, and kids can access quality internet. It also allows iwi to return to their land. Together, these services make it much more viable to live out here and will revitalise our communities.
“These lakeside areas used to be dominated by holiday homes. In the last five or six years, house prices in Rotorua have risen, and more people have started moving out here. This rollout is another tool to support that growth and connection.”
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Last month the Infrastructure Commission endorsed Chorus’ plan to further extend fibre broadband from 87% to 95% of New Zealand.
Thomass hoped to work alongside the company to prepare proposals for other communities.
He said this was of extra significance for areas that will be impacted by the proposed copper network retirement, which Chorus aimed to conclude by 2030.
“We’re proud we were part of starting this national rollout,” said Thomass. “It’s a major benefit for us, but also for all of provincial New Zealand.”
The scheme aims to be fully operational by the end of August.
Chorus chief executive Mark Aue said he believed there was strong demand for rural communities to increase their fibre capabilities.
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“We’re incredibly proud to have delivered fibre to these communities, many of which have waited a long time for access to fast, reliable broadband.
“Rural New Zealanders want and deserve the high-quality, dependable connectivity that fibre offers.”
Mathew Nash is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. He has previously written for SunLive, been a regular contributor to RNZ and was a football reporter in the UK for eight years.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.