Broadband pushed as election issue

Telecommunications advocacy group Tuanz aims to make broadband an election issue, saying the Government's vision does not go far enough.

The group launched its election year "manifesto" at a press conference in Wellington yesterday.

It called for a new government agency to assume oversight of information communications technology policy, and for the Ministry of Economic Development, which has taken the role to date, to take a back seat.

While regulation of the sector to stimulate competition should continue, Tuanz described the Government's digital strategy and the passing of the Telecommunications Act as too little, too late to halt New Zealand's decline compared to similar countries.

Tuanz said Telecom's next-generation network, taking fibre-optic cable to roadside cabinets then to users via copper lines, would not reap the $2.7 billion to $4.4 billion annual benefits of a truly high-speed network, estimated by the New Zealand Institute last year.

The replacement of ageing copper wire with fibre-optic cable, based on analysis of future needs, should be recognised as a national economic priority, Tuanz chief executive Ernie Newman said. The aim would be to have this largely completed by 2014.

Tuanz vice-chairman Chris O'Connell said one issue of debate was whether to continue upgrading copper lines or go straight to fibre.

He said costings for a national fibre network ranged from $1 billion to $10 billion. "What we would like to see is an independently costed engineering audit as to what the realistic costs ... are."

Investment would be undertaken by the private sector and local and central governments.

A new "digital age" government agency would guide the strategy, with the "under-resourced" Ministry of Economic Development passing on its responsibilities to it.

Tuanz said greater productivity and a slowing of the exodus of skilled workers overseas, as well as cutting transport through high-definition teleconferencing, were some of the benefits.

Last week, the New Zealand Institute proposed a fibre network to 75 per cent of the population over the next 10 years, costing $4 billion to $5 billion.

Tuanz chairman Merv Altments said the organisation would lobby political parties, service and network providers and other stakeholders up to and beyond the election, likely in November.

- © Fairfax NZ News