It appears that there are some significant barriers that stand in the way of Kiwis getting access to fast broadband and which could impact on our economic future. Cost and what they will actually get are the two main issues. Lack of competition will affect both.
The Commerce Commission draft report has just been released into the barriers for New Zealanders to want to or be able to connect to ultrafast broadband. The DomPost reports that:
The Commerce Commission says connection costs and the lack of availability of video content – such as might be delivered by better online television services – are the two main factors that could dissuade consumers from connecting to the $3.5 billion ultrafast broadband network.
I haven’t read the report yet. But I hope it makes clear that there are concerning competition issues which could scuttle New Zealand’s highway to the future. Competition issues that have been ignored by the present government and are likely to bite them.
It also appears that rural Kiwis are being left further behind, with their ability to be connected to even basic broadband remaining a major issue, let alone getting access to fast broadband.
Finally there’s some good analysis to establish the facts of what the important issues are for NZ to grapple with.
I will have more to say later today
As with schools, UFB is no use when data caps restrict use.
I bet some monopolists are yearning for the return of Rubber Stamp Rebstock.