How it all began
For four years SamKnows has been providing the data and analysis for the Measuring Broadband New Zealand programme. It was launched to provide consumers with independent information on broadband performance across different technologies, providers and plans. And our data is so well respected that now ComCom (the Commerce Commission) is encouraging all RSPs to use it to support advertising claims and at point of sale; helping consumers make a fully informed decision before committing to a new contract.
A shared mission of better internet access for all
Like SamKnows, ComCom believes access to good quality broadband is hugely important, and never more so than now. ComCom wants to make the broadband purchase journey as transparent as possible so that consumers have all the information they need to know before buying.
Dependency on broadband is at an all time high
There’s been a real recognition that the demand on broadband has increased, especially since the start of the pandemic. Instead of just being dependent on the internet to support entertainment needs such as gaming and streaming content, now good broadband is required to support working from home as well, whether that be video calls or business applications.
Chorus CEO JB Rousselot said, "Now more than ever, people are relying on fast, reliable broadband connections in their homes and businesses…We recognise that it is now time to shift up a gear again to ensure New Zealanders can take real advantage of the connectivity available to them.”
It’s never been as important to make sure consumers know what they are getting from their broadband and if that matches what they were sold.
Improving broadband for half a million NewZealanders
Because of this dependency on broadband the New Zealand LFCs (Local Fibre Companies) Chorus and Enable decided to collaborate with the RSPs to upgrade the speed of one of the most popular wholesale broadband plans, Fibre 100, all at no extra cost to the RSP or customer.
Half a million customers now benefit from download speeds of 300Mbps (that’s 3 times faster than before) and upload speeds of 100Mbps (that’s a whopping 5 times faster).
Speed increase after Fibre 100 customers were upgraded free of charge to Fibre 300
Source: Last two Measuring Broadband New Zealand Reports
The latest Measuring Broadband New Zealand report shows that the new Fibre 300 package continues to enjoy the low latency performance of its Fibre 100 predecessor, but with a boosted average download speed of 314.1 Mbps and upload speed of 110.1 Mbps.