Rural Broadband Initiative
The government is concerned that the standard of broadband services in rural areas improves, given New Zealand’s high dependence on the rural sector for economic growth and productivity improvements.
The government is currently considering policies to improve the quality and availability of telecommunications services in rural areas, including both direct funding of infrastructure in rural areas through the funding of ultra-fast broadband to rural schools (the Rural Broadband Initiative), and restructuring the Local Service TSO to better target industry funding at the needs of rural users. These proposals comprise the Government's Rural Telecommunications Strategy.
On 10 September 2009, Communications and Information Technology Minister Hon Steven Joyce announced targets for the roll-out of broadband to rural customers [link to beehive website].
On 29 September 2009, the Minister released the Government's Rural Broadband Initiative proposal for comment. Submissions on this proposal and the TSO reform discussion document close at 5.00pm on Friday, 30 October 2009.
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