23 May 2023

Chorus moves to new operating model

11:29 am on 23 May 2023
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Photo: 123RF

Lines company Chorus is moving to a new operating model as it plans to retire the copper network within the next decade.

The company said it would focus on three key areas as part of the structure: ensuring households and businesses can access fibre broadband, leveraging Chorus assets to generate new revenues and ensuring rural and regional areas had connectivity.

Chief executive JB Rousselot said it was the next stage for the company, with much of its fibre rollout completed.

"With the successful completion of the UFB build, Chorus has laid the foundation for a transformative era," he said.

"Our new regulatory model empowers us to redefine how we do business, while the dynamic competitive landscape necessitates innovative solutions to meet evolving technologies and customer demands."

Rousselot said the new structure would take effect in the second quarter of the 2024 financial year.

Chorus last week announced it planned to retire the copper network within the next decade and become an all-fibre company.

The move was in line with consumer behaviour and the increasing coverage fibre and alternative technologies could offer in rural areas, the company said.

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