30 Aug 2017

Ultra-fast broadband extended to 190 small towns

3:18 pm on 30 August 2017

An extension to the ultrafast broadband rollout will connect to another 190 small towns over the next five years.

Urban v Rural broadband.

Dozens of small towns would receive ultrafast broadband under National's pledge. Photo: 123RF

Crown Fibre Holdings has signed contracts worth $270 million to put ultrafast broadband in the 190 towns, as well as bring rural broadband to another 74,000 households.

National Party leader Bill English said National would also bring the ultrafast broadband network forward by two years.

By 2022 more than 4,000,000 New Zealanders would have access to world-class internet, he said.

The National government's original goal of connecting 34 towns to world-class broadband was expanded to include 200 more towns earlier this year.