OECD ranking a slight improvement – InternetNZ

Media Release – 20 May 2008

OECD ranking a slight improvement – InternetNZ

InternetNZ (the Internet Society of New Zealand Inc) is pleased that New Zealand has slightly improved its broadband ranking in the latest OECD Broadband Statistics Report.

The statistics, for the half year to December 2007, show New Zealand now places 19th of 30 OECD countries in broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants.

18.3 out of 100 inhabitants now have a broadband connection, compared with the OECD country average of 20. There are 757,132 broadband subscribers in New Zealand.

InternetNZ Executive Director Keith Davidson attributes the lift in New Zealand broadband subscribers to recent regulatory reforms, which InternetNZ has lobbied long and hard for.

“Over the course of the last year InternetNZ has made extensive and detailed submissions to Government on the operational separation of Telecom.

“Separation Day has now occurred and we expect this will result in a more competitive telecommunications market, which should be reflected in subsequent OECD broadband statistics.”

Davidson is encouraged by figures showing New Zealand is the 6th fastest growing OECD country in terms of broadband penetration. There has been a net increase of 4.37 subscribers per 100 inhabitants.

“If New Zealand maintains this rate of growth then it will continue to slowly improve its position relative to other OECD nations. But, to fully leapfrog into the top half of the OECD, substantial investment and subscriber uptake in a ubiquitous open access fibre network is required.

“Fibre accounts for 8 percent of all broadband connections in the OECD, but in New Zealand fibre connections are negligible.”

ENDS

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