New Zealand wholesale fixed line provider Chorus has confirmed the implementation of a ‘stop-sell’ on new copper services in areas where Chorus and local fiber companies provide fibre broadband accesses. The stop-sell covers new connections to legacy copper broadband, ADSL or VDSL from 6 March 2023 and to its baseband voice service from 1 June 2023. The move is not a part of Chorus’ phased copper withdrawal programme, which is currently being implemented only in areas covered by the company’s fibre networks. ‘The stop-sell will help us advance the copper withdrawal process and focus on fibre, ultimately providing our customers with a better, more reliable experience,’ Ed Hyde, Chorus Chief Customer Officer, explained in a press release.
Exceptions to the new restriction include: transfers of service between two broadband retailers; upgrades of the same service, for example, changing from ADSL to VDSL broadband; and in cases where there is a copper line, but the home is not fibre-ready and getting a fibre connection would take too long. Chorus will evaluate new copper orders depending on customer need and whether a timely fibre connection can be completed. An additional exception to the stop-sell of new copper services includes homeowners impacted by recent weather events in North Island, where Chorus is prioritising restoring services as quickly as possible regardless of the technology.
