Three rural schools are the first in New Zealand to experience fast internet speeds as part of the Government's $285 million rural broadband initiative.
Thursday marked the rollout of ultra-fast broadband to 700 rural schools.
The Government's rural broadband initiative aims to bring high speed internet to 95% of rural schools and 86% of rural households, within five years.
Henderson Valley School in Auckland, Te Kura o Omaio school in Bay of Plenty and Granity School on the West Coast are the first to be connected to the new fibre-optic cable.
Henderson Valley School principal Maree Stavert says even though the school is only a half hour drive from Auckland city, it could not get the benefits of fast internet, but speeds are now up to 300 times faster.
Telecommunications company Chorus says delivering high speed broadband into rural schools will stretch its resources but it doesn't anticipate any delays.
Chief executive Mark Ratcliffe says about 3000 people will be involved in laying the new fibre optic cable.
