Enable, Christchurch's fibre broadband provider, has now connected its 100,000th customer to its network, doubling the number of households and businesses connected to ultra-fast fibre broadband in less than two years.
Focused only on the Christchurch region, Enable is wholly owned by Christchurch City Holdings Limited, the commercial arm of the Christchurch City Council.
Enable chief executive, Steve Fuller says reaching 100,000 connected customers is a huge milestone for the business.
"Over the last two years we've connected more than 100 customers every day," he says. "We are completing the physical installation of our network and turning on a fibre broadband service in someone's home or business every five to six minutes of every day we're working."
Fuller says reaching the 100,000 mark means about six out of 10 fixed-line broadband customer connections within Enable's coverage area are now on Enable fibre broadband.
This coverage area includes Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Rolleston, Lincoln, Templeton, Prebbleton, Kennedys Bush, Ohoka, Tuahiwi, Clearwater and Tai Tapu.
"In some of these towns, and some suburbs of Christchurch, nearly 9 out of 10 fixed-line broadband customer connections are now on fibre," says Fuller.
"What worries me is the number of people who have Enable fibre outside their home but are not yet connected," he adds. "These people are missing out on the best broadband experience for no good reason."
Fuller believes this could turn out to be a very significant issue for some families with the Rugby World Cup being streamed online in September.
Fuller says Enable is urging rugby-loving Christchurch families to act now and upgrade their internet service to Enable fibre broadband in time.
"There are less than four months to go until the first World Cup to be viewed in New Zealand primarily through internet streaming," he says.
"We are very concerned that many Cantabrians have not realised that being able to watch all the rugby action from 20 September will depend on their broadband connection – as the games will be streamed online and not be available on Sky Sport," Fuller explains.
"Enable wants to get the message out now that people should be checking the quality of their broadband services and looking to upgrade to fibre broadband as quickly as possible to ensure they have an ultra-fast, super-reliable broadband connection in time for the World Cup."
Fuller says Enable is already seeing a spike in fibre broadband orders.
"We only have about 10,000 fibre broadband connection appointments available between now and the tournament. There's a real risk rugby fans will miss out on getting fibre broadband in time if they don't order now," he says.
"We don't want to see anyone in our community missing out come kick-off on 20 September because they're still on a non-fibre connection, believe they're on fibre when they're not or have simply been told fibre's not right for them," he explains.
"We're encouraging all Christchurch people to join the 100 people each day who are upgrading to Enable fibre broadband and also to avoid any rush in time for the rugby action," Fuller adds.
