Bay towns, highways, tourist spots in for broadband upgrade

Simon Bridges speaking in Hawkes Bay on August 20. Photo/Duncan Brown

Another 2700 Bay of Plenty households and businesses will get access to ultra-fast broadband by the end of 2022.

Seven towns and three fringe areas of the Bay will be connected to the ultra-fast network in the next phase of work, including Aongetete, Maketu, Pukehina, Matapihi, Omokoroa and the Minden.

The Government announced today it was bringing the roll out forward by two years.

Rural properties, tourism areas and state highway coverage black spots in the Bay were also in line for an upgrade.

The Government pledged to connect another 5041 Bay properties under its Rural Broadband Initiative but said the exact coverage areas were still to be determined.

About 42km of state highways 2, 35 and 38 will get new mobile coverage, and tourism spots including Adrenalin Forest and TECT Park were also in for an upgrade.

Throughout New Zealand, the Government would spend $270m on the newly announced rollout - $130m to cover 190 new towns and $140m on the Rural Broadband Initiative, and Mobile Black Spot programme.

The funding announcement was in addition to the $150m the Government had already allocated for rural broadband and mobile coverage.

Communications Minister Simon Bridges said the ultra-fast broadband (UFB) programme will have reached more than four million New Zealanders by the end of 2022.

"We started UFB in 2010 with the original goal of connecting 34 towns to world-class fibre-to-the-premises. Earlier this year, we expanded it to 200 more towns and today's announcement will bring us to 390," Mr Bridges said.

"Today's announcement brings our total investment in rolling out world-leading communications infrastructure to more than $2 billion."

The Bay portion was $110.7m.

"Once complete, New Zealand will be in the top five countries in the OECD for access to high-speed broadband. Considering that in 2011 we were placed 26th with very little connectivity that will be a fantastic achievement.

The $270 million programme announced today will be funded by $240m of recycled capital from earlier stages of the UFB programme and $30m from the Telecommunications Development Levy.

"This investment is a vital part of the Government's plan to support regional growth and develop a productive and competitive economy," Mr Bridges said.

Broadband upgrades in the Bay

New towns and fringe areas
- Aongetete
- Kukumoa/Waiotahi Beach
- Lake Okareka/Okareka
- Maketu/Pukehina Beach
- Matapihi
- Okere Falls
- Omokoroa
- Rotoiti Forest
- The Minden
- Te Teko
- Chorus UFB2 fringe

Tourism areas
- TECT Park and Adrenalin Forest Bay of Plenty
- Kaingaroa Forest
- Lake Tarawera
- Maraehako Retreat/Maraehako Bay
- Te Kaha
- Te Wairoa (Buried Village)
- Waitangi (Rotorua)
- Whanarua Bay

State highways
- SH2
- SH35
- SH38