Kiwis hold out on fibre

I’m baffled why Kiwis are not rushing to sign up to ultrafast broadband and get access to faster internet speeds.

Having ultrafast broadband (also known as UFB or fibre) means download speeds of up to 1000 megabits per second, compared to up to 24 Mbs for standard broadband (ADSL).

Fibre is also more consistent, meaning the stream of data does not stutter, and it can handle multiple devices streaming at the same time.

Despite the benefits, only 40 per cent of Kiwis who have access to fibre have signed up. At first glance, it’s hard to understand but there are a few reasons why people are not switching over.

First, your current internet speed may be OK for what you need. The ‘‘principle of good enough’’ is well known in tech and it means most people are happy with what they’ve got, despite better tech being available.

If you use the internet at home to check your emails or just browse websites, then ADSL (or it’s slightly faster cousin VDSL) is probably good enough.

Another hindrance may be the price. A basic fibre package will cost about the same as a basic ADSL package and the speeds are not amazing – about 50Mbs.

To get a significant speed boost you will need to pay more – $25 extra a month for download speeds of 200Mbs or $45 more for 900Mbs.

Then there’s the occasional horror story about installation (which is free) and the concern about losing your landline (this can be kept). There was also the problem a few years ago when fibre couldn’t handle traffic at peak times, though those issues are now fixed.

Don’t let these minor gripes put you off. If you stick with the basic package it won’t cost you extra, and while you may think you don’t need it now, you will in the future.

A fast internet speed is becoming vital in our increasingly digital world. Work, play and participating in society will all be easier with a fibre connection.

And while the fibre rollout isn’t perfect (some areas still have a long wait), it’s one of the best programmes of its kind in the world. So put any doubts aside and sign up (check broadbandmap.nz to see if it’s available) – I know I will when it becomes available at my house.

A fast internet speed is becoming vital in our increasingly digital world.