5. JOHN HAYES (National—Wairarapa) Link to this
to the Minister for Communications and Information Technology
What benefit will rural communities receive from the Rural Broadband Initiative signed last month?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Communications and Information Technology) Link to this
I am pleased to report to the House that the $300 million Rural Broadband Initiative is now under way. Not only have we secured an agreement that exceeds the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative objectives but also we will have over a quarter of a million customers in rural New Zealand who will finally get access to high-speed broadband that compares well to existing levels of urban services and prices. Vodafone and Telecom will shortly begin work on the construction of 154 new cellphone towers, the upgrading of 380 existing towers, and the provision of over 3,000 kilometres more fibre in rural areas. This is a significant milestone in rural New Zealand becoming a more connected and productive economy.
How will the deal increase competition for telecommunications services in rural areas—for example, in Pongaroa and Porangahau?
The open-access provisions locked into the Rural Broadband Initiative contracts ensure competing companies can provide a variety of services in rural areas. For example, the new cellphone towers will allow for any network provider to install and use their equipment on the towers for mobile or fixed wireless services, and with the new Rural Broadband Initiative fibre any competitor will be able to gain access on set terms to offer their retail products. The Government has used this opportunity to cement in place a competitive model for telecommunications provision in rural areas. Not only have we dramatically expanded broadband coverage but also we now have a pathway to improved services in the future, with the development of new technologies like fourth-generation networks.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Does the Minister agree with Dr Pita Sharples that Ngā Pū Waea, the working group negotiated by the Minister of Māori Affairs to advise on Māori interests in broadband, will enable marae, kōhanga reo, kura, wānanga, iwi, rūnanga, and Māori health and social services providers to benefit from the roll-out of broadband into rural areas, and how soon does he think positive results from this initiative will be able to be shared?
Absolutely. For example, as broadband services are extended, approximately 480 marae will have access to peak internet speeds of more than 5 megabytes per second, 44 of which will have access to broadband services for the first time. One hundred marae will be able to choose to connect to existing Telecom fibre or to new Rural Broadband Initiative - funded fibre, offering them broadband access comparable to ultra-fast broadband. The initiative may also provide opportunities through training programmes and employment and investment opportunities as coverage rolls out. The benefits for social services provision and potential economic development will begin almost immediately in the first areas that the Rural Broadband Initiative rolls out in.