New Zealand is ready for the next stage of rolling out its Ultrafast Broadband (UFB) network across the country.
Communications Minister Amy Adams said four and a half years after the first fiber trench was dug in Whangarei, the government’s broadband initiative is more than 50% complete with around 750,000 citizens already able to connect to faster, more reliable broadband.
The government is extending its coverage target from 75% of New Zealanders to at least 80%.
The Minister is set to release the Request for Proposals (RFP) today (September 1), which outlines more than 110 towns and communities as potential areas for inclusion in the project.
“The RFP is a critical step in deciding which communities are next in line to get fiber and what companies will deliver it. My focus is squarely on getting faster broadband to as many people as possible,” she said in a news release.
Tenders are invited to build fiber to fringe areas of the first round of UFB towns in addition to the other areas suggested and to suggest other candidate areas for fiber.
The long list is made up of the next largest towns not covered by the first phase of the UFB initiative. These towns have been determined based on current population and projected population sizes in 2023 and informed by council submissions.
“We want people living outside the bigger centers to enjoy the economic, health and education benefits that fiber is delivering to 33 of our towns and cities. I encourage network builders to make proposals which will help the government achieve this next step,” the Minister said.
Economic analysis of the first stage of the UFB build has found that high-speed broadband could benefit New Zealanders by $32.8 billion over 20 years.
The Crown-owned company, Crown Fibre Holdings, has been charged with running the RFP bid process for the expansion and overseeing the Crown’s investment in the network build. The extension is being funded by up to $210 million from the Future Investment Fund.