The number of fibre-optic broadband connections in New Zealand has more than doubled since June 2015, Statistics New Zealand said today. Over 220,000 broadband connections in New Zealand are made through fibre, compared with 105,000 one year ago. As at 30 June 2016, over 12 percent of all broadband connections were through fibre-optic connections, a high-speed way to use the internet.

“In 2016 around 1 in 8 broadband connections is made through a fibre-optic connection,” business performance senior manager Jason Attewell said. “The market share that fibre occupies has really taken off, since it was only 1 in 20 connections one year ago. The total number of fibre connections has doubled in each of the last four years.”

While copper (digital subscriber line) remains the most common type of connection technology, with 65 percent of connections accessed this way, fibre connections are likely to continue their growth into the future. The government aims to have 80 percent of New Zealanders able to access the internet using fibre by 2022.

“As the ultrafast broadband rollout continues, more and more people are taking the opportunity to get faster internet at their home or business,” Mr Attewell said. “This can make it easier for businesses to grow and for households to use the internet for streaming movies, online gaming, and communication.”

These figures come from the annual Internet Service Provider Survey, which is sent to all internet service providers in New Zealand.