Universal access

High-speed broadband Internet access is coming to over three quarters of the country over the next decade, in a 3 billion dollar project jointly funded by the private and public sectors. “This model aims to provide government investment on favorable terms, while minimizing government involvement in commercial operations which we believe the private sector is better positioned to direct,” said Communications and Technology Minister Stephen Joyce. Today broadband penetration is low in New Zealand and speeds are generally slow, while access in rural areas — important in the agriculture-dominated economy — is poor. The aim is to provide 100-megabit/second speed to 25 towns, cities and rural areas. “This is a game changing initiative by the government,” said Rosalie Nelson, telecommunications research manager at IDC Research. “It effectively leads to the commoditisation of access. It changes the competitive landscape.”