Telecom New Zealand's network infrastructure partner, Chorus, is keeping its wholesale options open during its ongoing rollout of fiber to the premises service by offering a VDSL solution to providers as an interim step.
An article in Telegeography said that wholesale VDSL will be available beginning June 7.
While the country's UFB (Ultra-Fast Broadband) program is progressing steadily, some areas of New Zealand will not see fiber-based service until 2019. Chorus also sees utility in offering the wholesale VDSL throughout its footprint.
"VDSL technology also has significant potential in rural areas, and is a natural complement to the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), because about 55 percent of the 400,000 premises outside of UFB areas will be within reach of Chorus VDSL at the end of the RBI rollout," said Victoria Crone, general manager of sales and marketing for Chorus, in the article.
The VDSL service will be available in all the UFB program's regions until 2015, when it will be phased out progressively as fiber rolls into each area.
Chorus and Telecom New Zealand were forced to de-merger in 2011 in order to participate in the UFB initiative. Telecom continues to operate its incumbent wireless network, and purchases fixed-line services from Chorus on a wholesale basis.
Telecom New Zealand and Vodafone jointly bid on and won the UFB project in 2011. Chorus is Telecom's largest wholesale partner, with a footprint in 70 percent of the planned UFB market. More than 100,000 homes in the island nation currently can connect to the government-funded fiber network, though uptake has so far been lukewarm, according to a November report.
For more:
- Telegeography has this story
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