MyRepublic targets SMEs with 1Gbps 'mass market priced' UFB

MyRepublic is taking enterprise-grade 1Gbps symmetrical UFB to the mass market, targeting Kiwi SMB's with a new offer.

The fibre only provider launched its new offering last night, with MyRepublic managing director Vaughan Baker saying while businesses were prioritised in the UFB rollout, they're still under-represented.

"Big business has had 1Gbps connections for a long time, but from today SMEs can take advantage of those same connection speeds," Baker says.

The new offer starts at $499.99 for fibre broadband with unlimited data.

Baker says driving ultra-high speed broardband to mass-market prices is critical in increasing SME competitiveness in New Zealand so they can punch above their weight both locally and internationally.

"Today's announcement will ultimately drive corresponding increases in GDP, jobs, capital and investment across New Zealand – at a time when global digital infrastructure is improving at a breath-taking rate regionally," he says.

Baker used the launch to call for New Zealand to step up its ambitions with regards to UFB.

He says APAC is surging ahead with ultra-high speed broadband, with Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan ranked by the International Telecommunication Union as being in the top five globally for average peak connection speed.

"New Zealand needs to be more ambitious, to get itself into the top 10 and achieve a credible global ranking," Baker says.

As at June 2015, fibre connections made up 5% of all broadband connections – up from 2% percent in 2014 – and the market share of fibre connections is increasing. Compared with other countries in the OECD, New Zealand's fibre connections were still below the average value of 17%, MyRepublic says.