Today, more home-based activities take place using the Internet than ever. Access for homework and work is practically compulsory, Smart TVs stream on-demand shows, and popular consoles require a connection for multiplayer games. In any given home, you may find that at least half of the family members are using the Internet at any one time. Installing fibre optic cables in your house is the best way to ensure your broadband speed is fast and reliable. With both Northland and Whangarei benefiting from new fibre fed cabinets to expand broadband access for residents, now is the time to ditch your usual broadband access.
Fibre Optic Makes Family Life Easier
Today, most homes in New Zealand use copper cables to receive their Internet connection. While these cables have served the country well so far, there is now a faster option available that allows you to get more for your money. Fibre optic delivers large amounts of data at greater speeds than its copper counterpart. Currently, Chorus is laying down thousands of kilometres of fibre optic cables across the country as part of the Fibre to the Premises (FttP) network. This network will deliver the highest possible speeds needed for streaming Internet television, playing web-based games, engaging in video conferences, and more.
Connecting your residential property to fibre optic cables allows you to access minimum speeds of 10MB per second in Whangarei, with maximum download speeds of 50MB per second. In Northland, business owners can expect to reach as much as 1GB per second, and residential property owners can reach speeds of 100MB per second.
One of the main reasons fibre optic is so advantageous over DSL is that speeds do not decline with your distance from the exchange. In contrast, someone who lives 5KM away from a DSL exchange may find that they have little to no service. The closer you are to those 5KM, the slower your Internet speed is. This means you may pay the same price as someone a mile down the road for your broadband, with a reduced service.
In terms of day-to-day activities, these download speeds can make Internet access smoother. You are less likely to see videos skip and pause when using sites like YouTube. In addition, flash works faster, pages load quicker, and you can Skype friends and family around the world with less chance of losing your connection.
Can Everyone Access Fibre Optic?
Fibre optic expansion in the Whangarei and Northland areas has increased significantly in recent years. Currently, there is a map available online that allows you to see whether you have access to fibre optic broadband in your area.
Most of the companies working on the government’s FttP initiative are planning to broaden access based on the number of people who take it up in city areas. As a result of this, there are no great differences in price between standard broadband and fibre optic. However, there is a chance that the prices will reduce once uptake increases. Ultimately, this means you get more for your money, especially if you are adding fibre optic broadband to your home office. When fibre optic is available in your area, you should seriously consider investing in it.
When it comes to fibre optic, the bottom line is you are getting more for your money, a more consistent service, and better speeds. Now you can say goodbye to arguing with the rest of the family over who is eating up the Internet connection, and just get on with enjoying your life online.
