61 Comments
22 April 2008
VIDEO: National's new $1.5-billion broadband initiative
#2 - Trevor Boone said:
2008-04-22 17:50 - (Reply)
broadband investment plan is absolutely the right approach - let's join the 21st Century - internet is vital to enable us to participate in the world economy - current service levels are pathetic and our economy needs world-class - not world-ass - sorry about that..
#3 - Ian Mitchell said:
2008-04-22 17:55 - (Reply)
I fully support government providing substantial funding for broadband and ultimately FTTH. However I am very concerned that such an announcement will cause private enterprise to hold back until the details are known. I see that you are aware of this - but I wish to stress how severe that can be. An announcement for example to say Government will refund, say, $65 per meter for ducting retrospectively would avoid this problem. A careful statement to that effect could be worded by a few professionals and I would be willing to bring that group together in the next month.
#4 - Waitaha said:
2008-04-22 17:57 - (Reply)
John , Families First, get rid of the dependentcy of Social Welfare , Lower Food and every day cost of living
#5 - Peter Lowish said:
2008-04-22 18:03 - (Reply)
John, you gotta make it happen now. This is the best news I have heard all year. Please dont make Nelson last - we want this now - not in 6 years
#6 - Ralph King 2008-04-22 18:05 - (Reply)
Great news John, on your plans for broadband. Just had a broadband connection made. Up until then I was using dial up. Man ,what a difference--way to go. Keep up the good work---Hillary Clinton is right Helen Clark will be the former Prime Minister.
#7 - Chris Rodgers 2008-04-22 18:06 - (Reply)
You link this project with Railways and could have added airways, phone, and mail etc. Would it be Nationals intention to spend billions of tax payer funds to build up the broadband network and then to sell it off cheaply to private business to reek profits as was done in Railways, Telecom, airways, and mail. This was the case with them resulting in the poorer networks, less employment, and increased costing to the NZer?
#8 - Caroline Speedy said:
2008-04-22 18:30 - (Reply)
Thank you. Our business growth needs a mature broadband structure. Telecom has a conflict of interest with speed and service. It's also time for National to start coming out with some decent policy and to stop agreeing with Labour!
#9 - John Davies said:
2008-04-22 18:40 - (Reply)
Brilliant plan. Offers huge export opportunity for media organisations like mine.
#10 - Bruce Isbister 2008-04-22 18:41 - (Reply)
This announcement is really not much more than rhetoric. It would be better to have fibre to the home certainly (FTTH) but a backbone of fibre to the node (FTTN) and distribution over existing copper using ADSL2+ would achieve vastly higher speeds that exist now, the FTTN can be rolled out in a matter of months not years and most home and or business don't actually need FTTH. Up to 24MBPS is available right now using the existing copper. Worst case is about 8MBPS A delay of six years will not deliver much any time soon and will cost a lot of money - certainly more than $1.5B. FTTN and ADSL2+ will deliver high speed at less cost and can be rolled out quickly. ADSL2+ boxes usually locate in existing exchanges and can be deployed in WAN with distributed management High speed sooner at less cost is a no brainer
#10.1 - David (New Plymouth) 2008-04-23 12:27 - (Reply)
bruce, I read your comments with interest. If what you say is the case then why not provide the plan to National. One would assume that if there was a cheaper functional and faster alternative that it would be preferrable. Can you provide necessary technical data to back up your claims and push this issue ?
#11 - S.S.Ramasubramanian 2008-04-22 18:46 - (Reply)
Thank you for this great policy. This is long overdue. Please also come up with some plans to take the pressure off ever increasing petrol and food prices.
#12 - David Phillips 2008-04-22 18:54 - (Reply)
Idea is great but needs to be backed by "do it"; unlike the current system. I recently moved to a rural area from Auckland (where broadband rarely any faster than 100kbs) to dial up at 48kbs even with a major telecom "shed" 500 metres down the road. Am advised " maybe by 2010" by Telecom. Or wireless at +$1200. Agree with Caroline on Telecom abysmal service and Bruce on ADSL2 being a faster and cheaper option. Give us what we need NOW.
#13 - Andrew Atkin said:
2008-04-22 19:03 - (Reply)
Fantastic stuff! Another interesting possibility with ultra-fast internet is with the remote control of various machinary. In the near future, we'll see how important broadband is for blue collar stuff as well. Remote control can cut-in where automation isn't yet up to the task, and only then. The result is you can have many automated machines controlled (periodically) by a single individual online - big productivity gains relative to staff numbers. And intelligent online networks can concentrate the productivity of many (otherwise) expensive professionals, including health professionals - paying for costly expertise only when and where you need them.
#14 - Steve 2008-04-22 19:26 - (Reply)
Great idea! You should also consider dropping the Microsoft licence for schools, govt departments etc and supplying Linux and Open office so we all learn to innovate.
#15 - Leo 2008-04-22 19:37 - (Reply)
That sounds absolutely fantastic, I hope you get it going asap, it's needed NOW.
#16 - George Atkinson 2008-04-22 19:55 - (Reply)
I agree with Bruce Isbister. Also John Key, you should provide a source of the report you were advised by to give readers a common refference - otherwise comments are shadow boxing. At a practical level I get up to 5mbit in rural N Nelson on ADSL, being within a km of the Telecom node, however variability of performance and appalling Xtra Help Desk experiences are issues.
#17 - rakesh varma 2008-04-22 19:59 - (Reply)
Fantastic if this will truly happen. This is the future and if we don't get ahead with the plan at least now, we will no longer be a "First world' country. While going ahead with the idea, also consider lowering the high mobile calling costs which is among the highest.
#18 - Scott 2008-04-22 20:10 - (Reply)
*FIBER!!!! YAY!!!!* But I'm not sure... I want more details. Just how open will the network be? Can you give us a more detailed timetable? Will the backbone be upgraded as well, to cope with the extra bandwidth? Will the international cables be up to the bandwidth too? And how does this compare to the plan that labor will probably unveil in the next few days?
#19 - Ben van der Molen 2008-04-22 20:16 - (Reply)
Good on you John,i do hope that you can realize the broadband for "rural' areas inthe coming years .Here and as another person said before we are living about 500 meters from a Telecom junction box it is a box 1.5 m x 1.5 m and about 75 cm deep and recently installed wich made NO difference in any speed on ISP and about 5 km from the optical cable as Telecom tells me this is TOO far .My only hope is now you since mrs Didums talks a lot and put her Rotweiler smile on but nothing happens.Can not wait for the election
#20 - T.moodie 2008-04-22 20:25 - (Reply)
Outstanding announcement - but the potential delay of six years before full implementation is a real concern. Our current braodband service is seriously impeding NZ productivity and growth and must be addressed far quicker than you currently propose. It is vital for NZ companies to be able to access a truly world class system. The payback will be significant andf will benefit the whole country. As a four time Labour voter (past tense) I feel National needs to be truly bold to create a real differentiation between themselves and Labour. This is a step in the right direction and will be very positively received by the vast majority of voters.
#21 - Peter Farley 2008-04-22 21:19 - (Reply)
Trying to out-Labour Labour? More government spending will fix our economic problems? Yeah, right! Reversing the productivity decline under Labour is not going to be helped by this.
#22 - Allan D 2008-04-22 21:32 - (Reply)
Thankyou. It's about time we had fibre access to replace our aged copper local loop. Trials started in a few suburbs many years ago. A great reason to vote National as if there weren't many others. Please don't leave the farmers out. They need good broadband *now* that doesn't cost the exorbitant satellite costs.
#23 - Lindsay Fergusson 2008-04-22 21:38 - (Reply)
The broadband strategy is really innovative and where NZ needs to go. Just make sure the private sector contirbution is contestable but also realistic. We don't want speculators or wannabes climbing on the bandwagon to make a quick buck. There is also nothing wrong with Telecom being part of this under their new CEO. Telecom and Vodafone have a lot to offer and they should be encouraged to participate rather than being "slagged off" as David Cunliffe tried to do with Telecom on the news this evening.
#24 - K. McKeefry 2008-04-22 21:38 - (Reply)
Hi, Have had fibre optic cable at my door for the past few years, doing nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I live in Papakowhai, Poriura. An idea.............. teachers were once trained ( at Government expense) then seconded to the industry for X number of years. Could we not do this with critical industries ie. Doctors. Cheers Kevin
#25 - Donna Cherry 2008-04-23 00:47 - (Reply)
Well done John. The idea is really good one but six years time!!!!! too far down in time to make the difference ie to show its effect in its full show. Need to be much sooner. The problem is businesses are already starting to show slow decline and it may be a litttle toooooo late for some businesses if left too long away for this wonderful innovative plan to reap the full benefits for the businesses out there. Perhaps we can get the beneficiaries working from home and paying their way by contributing to the economy to claw some monies back. We have too many on the benefit of all types and we need to take the bold step as Nationals to have low taxes because everyone can earn and pay tax and hence bring taxes down for all. we lose a lot of money with too much benefit being paid out. at least make them do some work and contribute to the economy. I am true blue blooded and I applaud your move in this direction. You have a lot of us waiting for you to make those bold moves. Please go with faith and be bold because we believe in the same things if we want to get NZ economy to soar once again. Well done John but please be bold and we are with you. In fact every one of the working person out there I have spoken to want you to win please and your Orewa speech made an impact. NZ wants to move forward and be rich again. We so want you to win but you need to let NZers know because there is a lot of ignorance of politics out there and so please take the message to the public. We are with you, more so than you realise. Sadly the undecideds tend to vote for the small parties (the tails that will wag the dogs) because they have no clue of the effect of their actions. we just need to think of Winston Peters. Last election National lost by a slim majority to Labour and we do need to take the message to the people. We like prosperity and more money to live on and that wonderful tax cuts. So much money is wasted with bad government spending policies and local bodies being too top heavy. Too much is lost with bad legislation including the anti smacking. Please reverse that and all the parents would vote for you too. Give power back to the family unit and not the state. We must win this time please National. Regards Donna
#26 - Wal Gordon 2008-04-23 04:38 - (Reply)
Great idea and can help the country progress but Wheres the money come from? There are more immediate problems in the country which need addressing in the very near future. A good example is the new PAYE rates just put out by IRD. There has been a very slight increase. My staff's PAYE rates have on average increased by 80 cents per week. Take this across the country and its about 1.7 million per week taken from pay packets and the local economy. Thats about 98 Million per year. There has been no mention of this by either major party and I feel this is another revenue racking scam. Lets fix whats broken now that effects nearly all New Zealanders before we implement the new that effects some.
#27 - Wayne Grattan 2008-04-23 06:50 - (Reply)
How bloody nice -we now have another socialist party who believes that the Govt has to provide services to all - Govt needs to provide the strategy and the environment and things will happen. - Online porn at high speed - why not pop around to all homes and deliver the weetbix as well
#27.1 - Anonymous 2008-04-23 15:09 - (Reply)
Did you know that the railroads made Britian rich? It was a major government project to build the foundation infrastructure too. The government has always had a place when it comes to base-infrastructure, because foundation infrastucture has a far-reaching value that goes way beyond what a private shareholder cares for i.e. government involvement avoids under-investment. If we waited for the private sector alone to build our world we would probably still be "enjoying" horses and cars.
#28 - Margaret Bell 2008-04-23 07:45 - (Reply)
It is alright to look at high speed broadband but what about mobile phone coverage for remote areas of New Zealand. The Awakino Gorge and Awakino and Mokau all suffer from lack of mobile calls. Emergency services are crippled along with business people travelling through the area. Lets get this right first and then speed up the broadband.
#29 - Lesley 2008-04-23 08:11 - (Reply)
Great!!! I have been ill for some time but given the right technology I can work from home. Bring it on I want to be independent again!
#30 - Steve Southall 2008-04-23 08:19 - (Reply)
An excellent announcement, John. As low wage jobs are lost to even lower wage countries overseas, we need to promote the knowledge economy through education, retraining, and decent infrastructure. Fibre to the doors of homes and businesses will facilitate this. Bring it on!
#31 - Lester Dredge said:
2008-04-23 08:24 - (Reply)
John, this is good news. We need to ensure that when this is put to tender, that the existing encumbents do not get their fingers on it, so it's available for all players to provide services on. We are just starting to see the way Telecom has moved to circumvent Cunliffes bungled unbundling regulations by moving to "Cabinetisation". I see someone is advocating a core of fibre with ADSL2 final delivery. This is real head in the sand stuff. ADSL in any form, is just a way of extracting a service from the remains of the outmoded copper network and will NEVER deliver the services you aspire to in the future. Finally, we can move again to be in a position of having one of the best networks in the delevoped world, instead of having the one most in need of replacement.
#32 - John Stephens 2008-04-23 08:25 - (Reply)
As an IT professional, I can't see how this policy will deliver the benefits you claim. Current business broadband speeds are plenty fast enough for teleconferencing yet very few people use it. Spending public money to provide private services is the Labour party's job, and chasing trivial topics is Peter Dunne's. Stick to your principles and campaign for less government, not more.
#33 - Flora B Campbell 2008-04-23 08:52 - (Reply)
Sounds good but i don't understand all the details. More concerned about being truly in opposition to this terrible government. Agreeing with Helen Clark, Sue Bradford,Winston Peters. Iadmired him in the past as a clever politician but not now, sonce he canoodled with Helen after the last election, for his own ends. He c ertainly is no friend of National. It's hard for an honest gentleman in politics but a leader must be positive. I favour first past the post rather than MMP ( hangers on!). Improve the working conditions for hard working doctors. Lives are at risk with the hours worked by them. Pay less DHB managers and others and put that moneyinto doctors salaries. Keep graduates in the country until they repay their loans before going overseas. Improve their conditions and you'll keep some of them. I'm strugglin as a superannuitant. Had an X-ray under so called ACC and had to pay $30.00 . My Gold card and community card worthless. Health, education, cost of living , law and order are very important. Also the cost of petrol. I use broadband at the moment and will welcome better. I deplore the chidish behaviour of mature cabinet minister and Michael Cullen's mockery. We the electorate look forward to an improved living and safety. yours sincerely Flora Campbell
#34 - Wendy Gray 2008-04-23 08:55 - (Reply)
All very well and great for technology and moving witht he times internaitonally but more importantly what about the costs of living? food, electricity, fuels, interest rates, local government costs and the high ever increasing taxation on everything including those on lower income levels! Lets forget aobut keeping up and fitting in with the rest of the world and concentrate on home and the pressures of living today - we're heading towards a recession and not a lot fo people are gonna cope - let alone out elderly!! Come on help the people who have helped shape this country and the next generation and todays generation also.
#35 - fwgnel 2008-04-23 08:58 - (Reply)
I support your policy entirely John, but will be even more excited when it is underway - faster broadband is a must for all New Zealanders - and at home - not just businesses and government agencies
#36 - Hailey 2008-04-23 09:31 - (Reply)
Finally, a policy where NZ is looking to the future! I work for a great company that encourages work-life balance and flexible working options - including working from home. However, It's impossible to take advantage of this opportunity becuase my Telecom 'broadband' card is impossibly slow and my home Vodafone wireless connection is no better. It's difficult to send and receive emails and anything beyond that is impossible. The working from home option is not a truly realistic option for any business with our current broadband system in NZ.
#37 - Anne (Auckland) 2008-04-23 10:32 - (Reply)
Fantastic idea! Finally an inventive practical approach not only to business but a contribution to getting cars of the road, decreasing carbon footprints, expenses to families and even increasing family time together (and a whole lot of other things I haven't the time to list) if it's all encouraged the right way. Please encourage the business community to accept the principles and have people working from home instead of commuting long distances to work and we'll be charging ahead. We need many more strategies like this!!! This is the first time I have seen a contribution from politicians that could make some improvement to people's daily lives and society as a whole. Develop it! And devise a few more!
#38 - Pete Fowler 2008-04-23 11:16 - (Reply)
We certainly need a fibre network like you describe. But will it be open to competing providers? I'm a very dissatisfied ex-customer of Telecom. Anything that gives them an advantage over the competition is dead wrong. Pete Fowler, Tuatapere.
#39 - Valerie Bushell 2008-04-23 12:18 - (Reply)
Just give me any sort of Broadband. Here in rural Wellsford I am 'too far from the exchange' to get any speed of broadband, let alone ultra fast.
#40 - David Fleming 2008-04-23 13:52 - (Reply)
Great idea, but are you not putting the cart before the horse. Wouldn't it be better to let is know exactly what you are going to spend the money on, and how much and how long you estimate each step will take, rather than just stating you are going to SPEND X million dollars. We don't want to know how much you are going to spend. Rather we need to know what you are actually going to DO! with the money, and not some grandiose statement. Cheers.
#41 - Dave Andrews said:
2008-04-23 14:31 - (Reply)
Neat Idea John and as I own and run a New Zealand based search engine I'm glad someone is looking to the future of NZ because I am sick of our NZ users getting results from searches in an average time of five seconds when our American users doing the same searches are getting results from us within one second so it will at least enable other Kiwi's to find out answers quicker from our search engine. It was also neat meeting you the other week in Levin when you were with Nathan Guy. All the very best wishes Dave Andrews from the LinkNZ search engine.
#42 - Roger Paul 2008-04-23 16:33 - (Reply)
Question :: Why do I read ths policy as suggesting that the Government/taxpayer is responsible for the investment required for greatly improved broadband in NZ ? I would have thought that Telecom &/or the telecommuncations industry as a whole should be responsible for this investment .
#43 - Cari Davies 2008-04-23 18:20 - (Reply)
Fantastic idea John We have had Labour and the Greens bleating on about carbon footprints but doing nothing about it. This will enable rural people to work from home instead of wasting time and energy commuting to the city. Also it will enable rural businesses to send and receive data at the same speed as their counterparts in the city. We live 40 minutes out of Auckland and Telecom will only give us Dial Up and a very slow Broadband if you are lucky. Since the deregulation of the telcos there has not been one company interested in upgrading our system to enable us to have a decent broadband connection. So much for competition?? Hopefully this new policy will drag us out of the third world.
#44 - Andrew Atkin 2008-04-23 19:15 - (Reply)
Just had a thought. With the broadband, make all government workers (or most) work from home, online. I wonder how much money you would save the tax-payer in office rents? Heaps, I'm sure.
#45 - Daniel 2008-04-24 09:35 - (Reply)
Good idea, great technology will improve our future and our living standard. As we have FTA with China, this is good for our NZ businesses to communicate more effectively and efficiently. Also, it benefits our expatriate to video conference with their family and relatives! Great Work!
#46 - Tobin 2008-04-24 09:56 - (Reply)
I trust the fibre optic cable laid in Remuera some time ago will be utilised rather than dig new holes in our new footpaths.
#47 - Rod Mathers 2008-04-24 10:40 - (Reply)
Great plan - I personally am fearful it will merely line Telecoms pockets, have Hobson's Choice about who we can use and spend the rest of our days cursing the take or leave it attitude that is standard Telecoms modus operandi. Whatever happens Helen Mugabe Clark must be sacked - having read two chapters of Absolute Power it's just like living in Zimbabwe they way Mugabe sorry Clark manipulates the country. Good luck John just try not to put your foot in your mouth everytime you go up in the polls ! And don't forget binding referendums.
#48 - Linda 2008-04-24 11:07 - (Reply)
I agree with the improvement but feel sorry for us 25% that will obviously will have no improvment, i find even having broadband know i would have been better to stay on dial up for the speed that broadband give's me
#49 - Dee 2008-04-24 16:12 - (Reply)
why are we investing tax dollars when the TELECOM MONOPLY should have done this already. Force telecom to do it, they have been dragging there feet for a long time????
#50 - R W Patterson 2008-04-24 17:36 - (Reply)
I Like the idea, but for christ sake look after the tax payers, we don`t wont freeloaders, there are miles to many now with the Waitangi business, and possibly the Banks to come. Would it not be better to buy up Telecom, cut the excessive wages at the top, make them more accountable, do the job and then sell everything apart from the line and rent it out. In that way you would still have income coming in and subsidising the tax payers contribution, Thats the way Ron Brieley would do it, chat him up. Bill Patterson.
#51 - Ron 2008-04-24 17:48 - (Reply)
An actual statement of intent - at last! But wait a moment - this is hardly a legitimate venture for a government with any pretence of being "on the right". Does National now advocate state enterprise rather then private? Isn't this an initiative more appropriate to private enterprise? Like Telecom - who have, on their own admission, confused, conned and screwed the NZ public blind while totally failing to invest in building the required infrastructure for future communications. Even worse - it is Telecom who will profit most from the broadband initiative.
#52 - William 2008-04-24 21:04 - (Reply)
Good to see some thought going into NZ's future. The present govt seems not to care about much further out, than a year or too. Any step to make the economy work faster & efficently, is a step in the right direction. I'm speaking from a rural area, we need better communications, perhaps our areas could be first on the list as we do provide a large chunk of NZ's income. Our business's are lacking the advantages that are always rolled out to the cities first it seems
#53 - Pamela 2008-04-25 04:36 - (Reply)
I admire the intent and the innovation. I am sure there are lots of other good ideas in the wings - but no doubt you won't want to reveal these just yet to feed them to the obviously worried opposition. This is the sort of innovative thinking we desperately need. I am looking forward to the overdue change in government. It's about time we had proactive ideas instead of the current reactive government thinking.
#54 - shayne burdett 2008-04-25 16:41 - (Reply)
Good on National it's nice to see the future Government has the common sense to the future proofing of I T sector so New Zealand can move ahead. You have my vote !
#55 - James Nimmo said:
2008-04-26 19:22 - (Reply)
You've got my vote!
#56 - duke choi 2008-04-28 23:13 - (Reply)
the national with J. Key is real hope for New Zealand and New Zealanders, it's broadband policy will brighten the future of NZ
#58 - David 2008-05-03 09:08 - (Reply)
John, definitely the way to go. The current rate of progress is ordinary at best and it's time the government not only regulates, but also incentivises or funds those [companies] willing to accelerate FttH. There has to be a carrot and a stick so to speak. Personally, I am tired of the excuses made by the big companies, who only think about increasing profits. Their tactics of denial, defer and delay are now cliched at best. Over to the National party!
#59 - Sue 2008-05-08 16:36 - (Reply)
My 20year old sons MSN caption reads......."I want better broadband vote national".... The day after the broadband announcement my 18 year old son had 3 mates around and 4 of them are voting National simple on this announcement. These young are all looking for careers (after their uni and polytech studies) which will involve fast access to broadband in the IT and engineering fields.
