Dunedin proves its ‘Gigatown’ status with triple-speed broadband

According to data from Chorus, Dunedin – which in 2013 became New Zealand’s first Gigatown – is well ahead of the rest of the country in broadband speeds with an average bandwidth of 196Mbps, more than three times that of the next fastest centre.

Dunedin was the winner of the Gigatown competition launched by Chorus in 2013, beating 50 other towns.

Dunedin mayor, Dave Cull, said: “Following the win, we have faced some real challenges putting in place the fruits of victory, but it is pleasing to see we are way ahead of the rest of the country in spreading the availability of gig speed across Dunedin.”

According to Chorus, with a 37 percent uptake of fibre, Dunedin households and businesses are also well ahead of the New Zealand average of 33 percent nationwide.

“At the end of February, Dunedin had 6,800 gig connections in the city, with a further 7,700 on other fibre plans,” Chorus said. “Access to fibre and reduced-rate plans offered to Dunedin residents as part of Dunedin’s Gigatown competition win have contributed to the uptake.”

Chorus said its figures show that fibre was available to 38,000 Dunedin premises at the end of February.

However, Dunedin’s Digital Community Trust chair, John Gallaher, urging more Dunedin businesses and residents to take up fibre broadband services, gave a different figure.

“The fact that we have just over 23,000 premises around the city with the ability to access fibre but which, for whatever reason, are choosing not to is disappointing,” he said.

“The reduced pricing levels that we have available to us as New Zealand’s first Gig City will not last forever and the time to take advantage of these is now.”