TelstraClear has doubled the speed of two of its most popular InHome broadband plans.

The free speed increase raises downstream speeds on the 5 GB plan from up to 2 Mbps to up to 4 Mbps, and the 20 GB plan from up to 4 Mbps to up to 10 Mbps. The plans are available to homes on TelstraClear’s InHome network in Wellington, Kapiti and Christchurch.

TelstraClear Head of Consumer Steve Jackson says customers on the 5 GB and 20 GB plans will be automatically upgraded to the new speeds.

"This is great for our customers and they don’t need to do anything. They’ll notice everything gets a lot faster - for free. On our 5 GB plan alone, more than 12,000 customers will reap the benefits of an increase in speed. Who wouldn’t want at least twice the speed for no increase in price?"

Mr Jackson says the company was noticing a change in customer behaviour, with customers wanting to optimise their broadband experience for things such as streaming video.

"We’re staying ahead of the game, offering customers plans to suit their needs. An increase in speed makes surfing the Internet, downloading music and videos and playing online games easier than ever before."

"Customers on our 5 GB and 20 GB plans will be able to download their favourite television programme such as Shortland Street from sites like TVNZ ondemand in half the time."

The 20 GB plan is now in line with the company’s top-of-the-range LightSpeed plans by offering downstream speeds of up to 10 Mbps.

Existing customers will receive the new speeds by 1 August 2007.