So confused about fibre subdivisions and the UFB

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steve98

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Topic # 100276 6-Apr-2012 21:16

I am very confused about how to tell whether new subdivisions that have fibre services are going to become part of the UFB or whether they will remain their own little 'fibre island' with one ISP (i.e. WorldXChange) providing service to them.

For example, we are looking at a subdivision in Kaiapoi, just north of Christchurch. It is fibre-fed and seviced (like all fibre subdivisions) by WorldXChange. How do I know whether it will eventually be connected to the UFB and be able to connect to other ISPs?

I know that Kaiapoi is not one of the areas commited to the UFB by the govt - does this automatically exclude it from being part of the UFB or is it more likely that this particular subdivision will be part of it, but it just won't be rolled out to the rest of the town?

I would contact the developer but I don't have much faith that they'll even understand what the UFB is let alone give me the right answer.

Who can help?

Cheers

Steve

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Reply # 606283 6-Apr-2012 22:36

It is almost absolutely definite that it will be converted and connected to UFB. Hopefully shouldn't be too long as its only some of the gear that needs to be replaced.

shanehobson

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Reply # 606306 7-Apr-2012 04:09

Enable Networks is the Government contracted LFC for Christchurch, so I checked their website :
http://www.enablenetworks.co.nz/coverage/residential-coverage/

Putting Kaiapoi in suggests that it will be built this year.
Put your actual address in for a better answer or contact Enable. to check on their policy of overbuilding Chorus fibre'd subdivisions.

steve98

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Reply # 606307 7-Apr-2012 07:11

shanehobson: Enable Networks is the Government contracted LFC for Christchurch, so I checked their website :
http://www.enablenetworks.co.nz/coverage/residential-coverage/

Putting Kaiapoi in suggests that it will be built this year.
Put your actual address in for a better answer or contact Enable. to check on their policy of overbuilding Chorus fibre'd subdivisions.

I did the same as you put - put in Kaiapoi on that page, and although I see on the right hand side there is a key showing a green line to mean that services will be available by the end of the year, that green line doesn't appear anywhere on Kaiapoi for me... in fact the only parts of Chch that it appears at all are Bishopdale / Papanui / Burnside and Halswell.

I will contact them, though, and see if they can shed any light.

Thanks.

sbiddle

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Reply # 606310 7-Apr-2012 07:37

There have been a number of threads discussing this issue on here recently, with a couple of very unhappy people on here that WxC is their only option.

raytaylor

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Reply # 606643 8-Apr-2012 12:33

I havent checked the maps, but i would not be surprised if enable has either bought the kaiapoi network from chorus, or if kaiapoi is so far out from the ufb mandated areas, that it wont be included and will probably stay as it is for now - with chorus eventually changing it as a lower priority.

Ray Taylor
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steve98

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Reply # 606724 8-Apr-2012 16:28

I've emailed Amy Adams about it - this is exactly the kind of situation the ministry should be protecting people from.

sbiddle

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Reply # 606736 8-Apr-2012 16:49

steve98: I've emailed Amy Adams about it - this is exactly the kind of situation the ministry should be protecting people from.

What situation?

In recent weeks the plan for these existing Greenfields areas has been finalised. There is in effect a change freeze in place now in these areas, and over time they will all be migrated to UFB.

Unfortately while I know more details on this I don't know what is public knowledge, so your best bet would be to contact Chorus as they own the infrastructure in these areas.

raytaylor

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Reply # 606743 8-Apr-2012 17:11

sbiddle:
steve98: I've emailed Amy Adams about it - this is exactly the kind of situation the ministry should be protecting people from.

What situation?

In recent weeks the plan for these existing Greenfields areas has been finalised. There is in effect a change freeze in place now in these areas, and over time they will all be migrated to UFB.

Unfortately while I know more details on this I don't know what is public knowledge, so your best bet would be to contact Chorus as they own the infrastructure in these areas.

That sounds awesome. Can you confirm that it will happen outside of chorus UFB regions?

Eg, A greenfield estate in christchurch in enable ufb territory would get converted to chorus ufb as well as enable overbuilding and running a parallel ufb network if its within the ufb coverage zone. It would mean the new standardised chorus transmission equipment and backhaul would be bought into the christchurch region just to provide service to a few hundered houses - unless the estate was built using the same standard equipment as what chorus have standardised on for UFB and its already in place with only a few minor changes.

Ray Taylor
Taylor Broadband (rural hawkes bay)
www.ruralkiwi.com

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Ragnor

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Reply # 606853 8-Apr-2012 21:42

sbiddle:
steve98: I've emailed Amy Adams about it - this is exactly the kind of situation the ministry should be protecting people from.

In recent weeks the plan for these existing Greenfields areas has been finalised. There is in effect a change freeze in place now in these areas, and over time they will all be migrated to UFB.

Unfortately while I know more details on this I don't know what is public knowledge, so your best bet would be to contact Chorus as they own the infrastructure in these areas.

I suspect it's going to be extra complicated in area's where Chorus is not the LFC like Christchurch.

sbiddle

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Reply # 606944 9-Apr-2012 07:46

raytaylor: That sounds awesome. Can you confirm that it will happen outside of chorus UFB regions?

No I can't - and because I don't know what is public and what isn't I'm not going to say any more on the matter.

If people want to know more on this topic they really need to ask Chorus. They have the answers.

steve98

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Reply # 607400 10-Apr-2012 13:24

I have been in email discussion with Chorus and finally have the following statement, which I believe is very promising:

Chorus has been laying fibre in some new subdivisions (or subdivision stages) since 2009. These are “fibre only” subdivisions and residents are connected to broadband and phone services using our Broadband over Fibre (BoF) service, delivered by WorldxChange – the only retailer to date who has developed fibre based voice and broadband services for retail customers..  Today around 50 subdivisions with around 2000 customers receive a BOF-based voice and broadband service through WorldxChange.

We had anticipated that more service providers would have engaged in the Broadband over Fibre offer, but low volumes of fibre only subdivisions has inhibited the development of fibre only retail services..It has only been the arrival of UFB that has given retail service providers the stimulus to build products over fibre. UFB products are being delivered via different fibre technology – NGA – which requires different equipment (from BOF) within the exchange and in the customer’s premises.

With the move to a fibre world, Chorus has a programme of work to migrate from BOF to NGA technology in these fibre subdivisions to ensure a consistent fibre approach. We are planning the equipment roll out to start by the middle of the year. This means that when we install the new GPON equipment at the relevant exchange, service providers who may have carried out product development for UFB, will be able to offer NGA based fibre services to residents in those subdivisions if they choose. BOF services will no longer be offered to new customers once NGA services are introduced into the new subdivision. WorldxChange will plan to migrate customers to new NGA services at that time.