ITP Techblog

Ultrafast broadband network operator Chorus is extending its Hyberfibre broadband service around the country offering a 4Gbps (gigabit per second) connection with capacity to double that to 8Gbps.

Hyperfibre, which is based on the UFB network that has been built out over the last decade in cities and towns the length of the country with taxpayer funding, was launched in February in areas such as Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell.

The expansion of Hyperfibre will cover areas where three million Kiwis live and while residential users will enjoy the huge increase in download and upload speeds now possible, the service is really aimed at small businesses requiring the capacity to run digital businesses. 

"Hyperfibre unleashes a new era of hyper-connectivity, enabling businesses to innovate and supercharge their digital operations," said Chorus chief customer officer, Ed Hyde.

"It is the ultimate in internet and to be able to offer access to more than three million kiwis from today is an incredible development for the country."

That's no understatement. Australia's largest broadband retailer Telstra offers plans based on the nation's National Broadband Network with advertised speeds of 50Mbps (megabits per second) "typical download and 20Mbps typical upload speeds between 9am-5pm, weekdays".

Those plans are priced from A$100 a month after an initial 12-month contract at $88 a month. Enterprise customers across the Tasman can pay substantially more to have fibre connected directly to their business. But Australia's fibre network has not been set up in a way to deliver lightning speeds to small and medium-sized businesses the way it has here.

Hyperfibre is a symmetric connection, so the upload and download speeds are equally as fast, which will suit companies sending large amounts of data to cloud computing infrastructure.

"Hyperfibre is seen as ideal for organisations with demanding, mission-critical data access needs. Early customers are already seeing the benefits," says Vocus chief executive, consumer and business, Taryn Hamilton.

"The speeds we can offer these days are truly staggering. If you told a Kiwi internet user a few years ago that they could get a 4Gbps connection at their house they would have laughed at you."

Are there any applications for home users that could take advantage of a 4Gbps?

"It's comically fast, and if we are honest, most Kiwi households wouldn't be able to use more than a small chunk of it," says Hamilton. 

"But, if internet history has taught us anything, technology will find a way to use all that bandwidth."

4K TV streaming is an obvious application as well as cloud-based gaming services. But a 4Gbps has th emost potential for a company owner that may previously have felt tied to a large city because of the need for good broadband access. Now a digital business can get that access, in their home office, in many parts of the country.

Hyperfibre plans:

Now available in all Chorus UFB1 fibre areas 

Currently 2Gig retail plans based on Chorus Hyperfibre start from $149.00 NZD per month

Currently 4Gig retail plans based on Chorus Hyperfibre start from $179.00 NZD per month

Capacity to deliver future broadband speeds of up to 8Gbps