Broadband Could Be The “Silver Bullet” For NZ’s Economy
September 17th, 2009
Communications Minister Steven Joyce has knocked back Telecom on its alternative plan for national broadband coverage, and says he is committed to partnering with the private sector to accelerate the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband with its $1.5bn investment initiative. Telecom’s proposal covered fewer homes and businesses, only provided ducts and not the fibre itself. Joyce says Telecom can now take part in the competitive tendering process. The Govt is setting up Crown Fibre Holdings to carry out the partner selection process and manage the Govt’s investment to provide open-access dark fibre services. The Govt will only invest money into fibre companies not controlled by shareholders who also operate retail telecoms businesses.
Earlier Joyce said the Govt would invest $300m to get fast broadband to the 25% of NZers living outside the footprint of the Govt’s urban investment. It was a response to strong lobbying by Federated Farmers. Meanwhile in a post on Kiwiblog internet entrepreneur Rod Drury says connecting NZ digitally to the rest of the world through broadband is the biggest “silver bullet” for turning the NZ economy around he’s seen in his business career. International broadband levels the playing fields for 400,000 NZ small businesses. “There’s never been such an opportunity to step-change NZ’s productivity.”
Copyright © Trans Tasman Media Ltd
Duncan Cotterill