CNU
11/12/2015 10:33
GENERAL
NOT PRICE SENSITIVE
REL: 1033 HRS Chorus Limited (NS)
GENERAL: CNU: Chorus provides update on fibre install progress
STOCK EXCHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT
11 December, 2015
Chorus provides update on fibre install progress
Chorus has today provided an update on the progress that has been made on the
fibre installation experience, and also announced it has completed 100,000
mass market fibre connections.
"Demand for fibre continues to be extremely high and addressing these
challenges remains mine and Chorus' number one priority. Meaningful progress
has been made during the last few months, both within Chorus and in
collaboration with our industry partners," said Chorus CEO Mark Ratcliffe.
"I would like to acknowledge the highly-collaborative way that our customers
have approached working through changes in the end-to-end experience."
In May, Chorus announced the company was taking a number of steps to improve
the fibre installation experience, as the demand for fibre became mainstream.
The changes include increasing the number of fibre crews, taking greater
ownership of fibre forecasting and establishing a new contact centre to
confirm appointments and ensure customers have the full picture of what to
expect during an installation.
Chorus has also launched a higher level of service for business connections,
to ensure smoother installation experiences and faster resolution if
something goes wrong.
As a result of the progress made, Chorus built about 8000 new fibre
connections nationwide in November, compared to about 6000 in September. This
is the highest number of connections Chorus has completed in a month.
This has meant the median time to connect for single dwelling units and
multi-dwelling units has reduced, and cancellation rates have also dropped
significantly.
"One of our biggest challenges is recruiting people quickly enough to meet
the ever-growing demand for fibre, and training them to deliver installations
that are very much as complex as adding any other utility to a property.
"It takes between three and six months to train a new fibre technician, as it
requires a wide range of skills. It then takes another six months for the
technician to become fully competent and productive.
"As demand looks set to grow even further, we will continue to recruit and
train as fast as we possibly can.
"While I am pleased with the progress that has been made with our overall
changes, clearly there is still more work to be done before New Zealanders'
experience meet expectations.
"There will be no let-up in focus from Chorus until we are consistently
meeting demand and delivering a high-quality experience."
ENDS
For further information:
Nathan Beaumont
Stakeholder Communications Manager
Mobile: +64 (21) 243 8412
Email: [email protected]
Brett Jackson
Investor Relations Manager
Mobile: +64 (27) 488 7808
Email: [email protected]
End CA:00275007 For:CNU Type:GENERAL Time:2015-12-11 10:33:08
