Chorus' copper network is down in parts of Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga.

Businesses and homes with fibre connections do not seem to be affected.

Most outages are in rural areas, with only two customers in central Tauranga affected while 117 have been impacted in rural Whakamarama to the west of the city.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council has had to close the Waihi Beach library and service centre but its main centre is still open.

RNZ has approached Chorus for details of what caused the outage.

Chorus' website said the outage was expected to last until tomorrow morning.

-By RNZ