This paper outlines the key learnings from the first decade of the Ultra-fast Broadband (UFB) and its associated Rural Broadband initiatives (RBI) in New Zealand. The UFB initiative provides the opportunity for 87% of New Zealand premises to have access to broadband using Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) technology. The remaining 13% of premises have access to enhanced wireless broadband. These initiatives are due for completion by year end 2023 and are showing promising results as at the end of 2019.
The success of these initiatives has not been achieved without a lot of challenges along the journey. However, as it is shown in the paper, the alignment of policy around broadband development across government and the establishment of a set of policy objectives and principles at the outset has enabled the initiatives to stay on track over time, relative to the original intentions. The establishment of these policy principles and the strict adherence to these principles throughout the execution of the initiatives has been the most significant learning from this substantial programme of telecommunications development in New Zealand.

Ultra-fast Broadband: The New Zealand Experience

The New Zealand Government Ultrafast Broadband Initiative has been in progress now for a little over two years. Are its intended goals being achieved? As at December 2012, the rollout is essentially on schedule, even though there have been some challenges. In particular, the Government specified that most priority customers within the candidate areas should be addressed by the end of 2015 and this appears to be on track. Take-up of services by these customers is also progressing well. The paper provides a brief review of three of the ways the UFB is being used to enhance the outcomes for business, education and healthcare. Residential coverage is also progressing, but the take-up is low at this point of time as suitable services are only just emerging from the Retail Service Provider community. Overall it is assessed that the 10 year programme of work is delivering on expectations at this point in time, but there is still a long way to go and there are likely to be many challenges and perhaps a few surprises ahead.

Nicola Treloar

Papers

Rural broadband technologies and the Rural Broadband Initiative in New Zealand