Wednesday, 11 May, 2016 - 10:43

List MP Jono Naylor says thousands of Palmerston North locals are now able to connect to faster and more reliable internet and many are taking up this opportunity.

"The latest quarterly figures show more New Zealanders than ever have access to better broadband thanks to the Government’s Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) rollout," Naylor says.

"These initiatives continue to make great headway, with many households, schools and businesses in Palmerston North able to reap the benefits of access to better internet."

"Deployment for the city is now at 67% which is great news for our community. It gives local businesses and schools a competitive advantage and enables them to make the most of the digital economy. It also makes connecting at home easier and more enjoyable."

"As a city we need to be connected to the world. We have a strong export sector in Palmerston North and UFB helps us to connect to our customers.

More than 1.2 million Kiwis are able to connect to the network as at 31 March 2016. Over 921,000 households, businesses, schools and hospitals can now connect to UFB, a 21 per cent increase from last quarter.

"The build is making rapid progress and is both on budget and ahead of schedule."

"The Government continues to deliver on its promise to build a world-class broadband network in our backyard, providing Kiwi communities with faster and more reliable broadband," Naylor says.