Will the new broadband fibre network be built by electricity lines companies?

The Government needs to reveal its whole plan for Ultrafast Broadband to New Zealand taxpayers and give some certainty to the industry, Labour’s Communications and IT Spokesperson Clare Curran said today.

“It appears that electricity lines companies will be part of a regional approach to rolling out broadband as part of the urban strategy managed by Crown Fibre Holdings. This raises questions about the role that Telecom will have, if any.

“This contrasts with Communications Minister Steven Joyce’s recent announcement that a national approach will be taken to the rural broadband roll out.

“It also raises questions about the policy settings and standards between urban and rural broadband and the role of Telecom,” Clare Curran said.

“Today’s announcement that Crown Fibre Holdings have selected three parties for prioritised negotiations in Northland, the Central North Island and Timaru and shortlisted 14 parties for the rest of the urban broadband rollout is a strong indication that a regional approach will be led by electricity lines companies.

“It is now clear that Telecom will not be leading the ultrafast broadband rollout in urban New Zealand.
“Telecom has said that if it doesn’t win the broadband bid it will aggressively compete with its copper network against the new fibre network.

“While it is good that there has finally been an announcement about the fibre rollout, there should not be a drip-feed of information and the role that Telecom plays is crucial,” Clare Curran said.

“How different will the policy settings be between rural and urban broadband and who will win the rollout in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch?”

ENDS

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