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New Zealand passes broadband bill

Friday 24 June 2011 | 03:57 CET | News
The Telecommunications (TSO, Broadband and Other Matters) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading in New Zealand's Parliament. The Bill provides the regulatory framework for the government's Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) and Rural Broadband Initiatives. It also implements reforms to the Telecommunications Service Obligation (TSO) regime, and implements measures to assist in the roll-out of broadband. The Ultra-Fast Broadband Initiative aims to deliver fibre connectivity to schools, hospitals and 90 percent of businesses by 2015, and to three-quarters of all New Zealanders by 2020. The Rural Broadband Initiative will cover areas outside of the UFB and will enable 97 percent of schools to connect to ultra-fast broadband and 97 percent of households to receive peak speeds of at least 5 Mbps. The bill also clears the way for the structural separation of Telecom New Zealand into two new businesses, as part of Telecom's involvement in the Ultra-Fast Broadband project. Following Royal Assent, the bill is scheduled to come into force on 1 July.

Categories: Internet
Companies: Telecom New Zealand
Countries: New Zealand
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