7. PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) Link to this
to the Minister for Communications and Information Technology
How does the $1.5 billion urban broadband initiative announced yesterday relate to the rural broadband plan announced last week?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Communications and Information Technology) Link to this
Both policies aim to significantly improve the internet connection speeds of New Zealanders in both rural and urban areas through significant roll-outs of fibre infrastructure. The rural programme is designed to improve rural broadband speeds over a shorter time frame to match the speeds currently being experienced in many urban areas. The urban initiative is a longer-term plan to introduce the next generation of ultra-fast broadband with fibre to the home for three-quarters of New Zealanders over the next 10 years.
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga Link to this
What has been the response to the urban broadband initiative announced yesterday?
The Government’s announcement has been welcomed by the telecommunications sector. Leading Australian commentator Paul Budde commented that the emphasis on dark fibre “is a great way of addressing this development as you clearly create the right environment to move away from a telco-centric infrastructure approach.” Internet New Zealand said: “This is a world-leading programme that can be expected to deliver the infrastructure New Zealand needs.” The Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand’s chief executive officer, the inimitable Mr Ernie Newman, has stated: “The paper builds very constructively on the work done previously … It takes into account most of the key issues raised in submissions, … It is an excellent blueprint on which to build.”
The Government is supportive of involvement from any potential partners that are willing to meet the tender criteria. We have specifically stated that bids covering a combination of regions, including national bids, will be entertained. All bids received will be assessed against the same criteria. The challenge for any prospective partner is whether it is willing to meet the open access requirements for passive fibre and the ownership requirements, where the partner would be a shareholder in the company that rolls out the fibre but would not control it.
Clare CurranWhat proportion of the $300 million announced in the rural broadband scheme last week is public money, and where is the new money coming from?
As the member is aware, those details have not been announced. But they will be announced very shortly.
Will the Minister guarantee that the people of north Hokianga—where Telecom will not give good service, where the lines often malfunction in damp weather, where dial-up is almost impossible to get, and where satellite is not universally available—will get fast broadband under either of the plans?
I am not aware of the specific example the member mentions, but the Government’s rural broadband initiative will go a great deal of the way to improving broadband speeds throughout rural areas by ensuring that the fibre backhaul, or the link from the trunk network to the local loops, will be a huge amount better than it is currently in the existing environment.