Rural Connectivity Upgrade (RCU)
Improving broadband options in rural areas in conjunction with Crown Infrastructure Partners.
Overview
We announced late 2022 and early 2023 that we had been awarded funding under the Government’s Rural Connectivity Upgrade (RCU) programme.
This funding will upgrade the broadband service of 73 rural cabinets to VDSL high speed copper broadband. The upgrade will benefit the customers served by these cabinets. Work is underway with completion due by early 2025.
In addition to all sites becoming VDSL capable, 23 will also have GPON capability, providing fibre to the home for premises passed by the fibre network on the way to the cabinet.
Quick find
Timeline and approach
The below table outlines when the locations in the programme should be ready for service. Please note the dates are indicative and may be subject to change.
| Cabinet Name | District | Product Type | Ready for Service |
| AH/G | Palmerston North | Copper | Completed |
| ALY/DX | Auckland Region | Copper | Completed |
| ALY/DY | Auckland Region | Copper | Completed |
| BM/CK | Marlborough District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | Completed | ||
| BV/AJ | Hawkes’s Bay Region | Copper | 30/10/2024 |
| CLV/S | Thames-Coromandel District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | Completed | ||
| FG/AQ | Manawatu-Wanganui Region | Copper | Completed |
| GG/M | Southland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| HL/AC | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/10/2024 |
| HR/Z | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| HR/AA | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| HVN/H | Hawkes’s Bay Region | Copper | Completed |
| ID/G | Taranaki Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| JFK/AJ | Palmerston North City | Copper | Completed |
| KAO/A | Far North District | Copper | Completed |
| KC/BG | Far North District | Copper | Completed |
| KEN/H | Southland Region | Copper | Completed |
| KEN/J | Southland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| KGR/H | Palmerston North City | Copper | Completed |
| KHA/R | Rotorua District | Copper | Completed |
| KHA/W | Rotorua District | Copper | Completed |
| KME/AH | Auckland | Copper | Completed |
| KPA/AM | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| KTA/F | Far North District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| KTA/L | Far North District | Copper | Completed |
| KV/AB | Far North District | Copper | Completed |
| KWK/R | Kaipara District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| LTN/H | Palmerston North City | Copper | Completed |
| LVN/BI | Horowhenua District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| LVN/CQ | Horowhenua District | Copper | Completed |
| LVN/CR | Horowhenua District | Copper | Completed |
| MAU/AB | Kaipara District | Copper | Completed |
| MGI/AC | Far North District | Copper | 30/08/2024 |
| MID/G | Taranaki Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| MKW/C | Southland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| ML/W | Manawatu-Wanganui Region | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| MNK/E | Horowhenua District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | Completed | ||
| MTK/AK | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| MWI/Q | Kaipara District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/08/2024 | ||
| OAH/G | Far North District | Copper | Completed |
| OF/N | Rotorua District | Copper | Completed |
| OKI/G | Taranaki Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| OKN/C | Manawatu-Wanganui Region | Copper | 30/10/2024 |
| Fibre | 30/10/2024 | ||
| OPA/T | Thames-Coromandel District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | Completed | ||
| ORH/W | Whangarei District | Copper | 30/01/2025 |
| Fibre | 30/01/2025 | ||
| PIA/B | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/01/2025 |
| Fibre | 30/01/2025 | ||
| PIA/E | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| PUK/CJ | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/08/2024 |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| ROI/A | Bay of Plenty Region | Copper | Completed |
| RUK/AB | Whangarei District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| SHN/B | Horowhenua District | Copper | Completed |
| SKH/P | Auckland Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| TAK/AH | Tasman Region | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/08/2024 | ||
| TAK/AJ | Tasman Region | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/08/2024 | ||
| TAK/AT | Tasman Region | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | Completed | ||
| TAK/AU | Tasman Region | Copper | Completed |
| TBY/AB | Auckland Region | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| TDL/BH | Hawkes’s Bay Region | Copper | Completed |
| TDL/AV | Hawkes’s Bay Region | Copper | 30/10/2024 |
| Fibre | 30/10/2024 | ||
| TGI/AB | Waikato Region | Copper | Completed |
| TPO/CR | Waikato Region | Copper | Completed |
| TUA/B | Manawatu-Wanganui Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| TUA/C | Manawatu-Wanganui Region | Copper | 30/10/2024 |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| WAK/D | Auckland Region | Copper | Completed |
| WAK/H | Auckland Region | Copper | Completed |
| WHD/H | Auckland Region | Copper | Completed |
| WHI/AB | Opotiki District | Copper | Completed |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| WKU/C | Auckland Region | Copper | Completed |
| WP/D | West Coast Region | Copper | 30/08/2024 |
| Fibre | 30/09/2024 | ||
| WRH/B | Whangarei District | Copper | Completed |
| WT/E | Taranaki Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
| WY/01 | Hawkes’s Bay Region | Copper | 30/09/2024 |
What's next
The above table will be updated on a regular basis as the programme progresses.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact your account team.
Keep up to date with the Rural Connectivity Upgrade (RCU) programme
Project team
Paul Dobinson
Project Lead
Duncan Hamilton
Infrastructure Programme Manager
Akash Nellore
Account Manager
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14/02/2024