Centralines Invites Expressions of Interest

Centralines Invites Expressions of Interest to Address Digital Deprivation

26 July, 2012 – Lines company, Centralines, has today announced it will be inviting communications providers to submit proposals to supply broadband services to the poorly served areas of its network service area.

Centralines’ Chairman, James Aitken said following the announcement by the Company a few months ago regarding its broadband initiative, there had been a number of communications providers show interest.

“Our broadband initiative seeks to address delivery gaps in the Company’s network footprint, so it is important that we open the opportunity up to all providers and, in turn, find the best solution for our customers.

“We are a rural community with poor cell phone and internet coverage and already our region has missed out in the current central government and telecommunication providers’ deployment plans. Therefore, we cannot afford to fall further behind in this digital age.”

Documents for Expressions of Interest will be posted on the Centralines website in August and, once available, communications providers will have four weeks to submit their plans.

Mr Aitken said this was an opportunity for providers to step up and explain how they could remove coverage gaps and extend, or speed up, any planned deployment to deliver real benefits in the Waipukurau community. He said the Company understood providers may need to be assisted with their initiatives and, as a Board, they were open to consider what form that assistance may take.

“Our focus with any proposed solution will be that it is area wide, competitive, affordable and provides a solution that will put our community at parity with other communities fortunate enough to have attained RBI coverage.

“Therefore, we thought it was important to let customers who may be considering signing up to a broadband provider, or investing in infrastructure to enable their connection, know that as a region we are looking for a community-wide solution provider.”

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