North eyes slice of broadband cash

Technicians install fibre-optic cable.

Northland is aiming for a big share of the cash to be invested in the second phase of the Government's Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) and Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI).

An extra $210 million for UFB and $150 million for RBI and mobile blackspots in this year's Budget for the second phase takes the Government's total investment in the communications improvement initiative to $2 billion.

Northland Inc chief executive David Wilson, two of his staff members, officers from each of Northland's four councils and iwi representative George Riley have been preparing submissions councils must produce by July 3, defining priority areas for second phase investment and explaining how they would support better broadband in their community.

Joseph Stuart, from Northland Inc, said the team was still putting data together, including information collected in a recent broadband survey.

By early next month council submissions would let the Government know how Northland could get the "best bang for its bucks" spent in the region.

Kerikeri is among 35 towns already identified as a strong contender for inclusion in any UFB extension, with Kaitaia, Kaikohe, and Dargaville.

Mr Stuart said the team was preparing submissions which could provide UFB or RBI access to 80 per cent of the Northland population, in line with Government targets nationally.

About 50 per cent of Northlanders live rurally, compared with 14 per cent nationally.

The widely dispersed population makes UFB costs higher per person, but improved RBI cellphone and wireless services could provide a cost-effective alternative.

"By the end of this month we will have a plan in place to have Northland strongly represented when funds are allocated nationally," Mr Stuart said.

The first phase of UFB is ahead of schedule with 46 per cent of the build complete and 618,000 end users able to connect to the network nationally.

The Northland build was the first to be completed, in May last year, and more than 21,000 businesses and households are able to access the network.

In June last year 9.4 per cent of Whangarei end users with access to fibre had taken up a UFB service, increasing to 17.6 per cent by March 31 this year.

On June 30 last year 96 per cent of state and state-integrated schools in Northland had access to fibre.

All rural public hospitals and integrated family health centres will have access to fibre by the end of 2015. RBI fixed-line upgrades were 76 per cent complete in Northland on June 30 last year.

About 21,000 households and premises have access to wireless broadband service, and about 12,500 to new or improved fixed line broadband.