Preliminary deployment works are underway in Tauranga in preparation for the full scale rollout of ultra fast broadband in the city.

Work being undertaken by contractor WEL Networks in Tauranga around the Avenues is focused on running feeder cables from the exchange to cabinets.

Cable being laid under the road on Devonport Road.

Ultrafast Broadband Ltd expects to announce in a few weeks time details of the cable's deployment timetable in Tauranga and the areas to be covered in the first six months.

The fibre optic cable being laid in Tauranga this week is part of a five year build programme being carried out by Ultrafast Broadband Limited, the local fibre company formed to roll out UFB in the central North Island.

The recently formed company announced this week that Maxine Elliott, former Vector general manager for communications, is its chief executive officer.

She will oversee the rollout of fibre optic cable in Hamilton, Cambridge and Te Awamutu, Tauranga, Tokoroa, New Plymouth, Hawera and Wanganui.

The new broadband will be delivered to the door of some 163,000 premises and reach about 12 per cent of New Zealand's population.

The government's $1.5 billion investment in ultrafast broadband infrastructure is being managed by Crown Fibre Holdings Limited (CFH).

This was established to manage the project to accelerate the roll-out of ultrafast broadband to 75 per cent of New Zealanders over 10 years.

The first six years will concentrate on priority broadband users such as businesses, schools and health services, plus green field developments and certain tranches of residential areas.