High-Speed Broadband Access - Overview

Aerial view of Wellington city

Affordable high-speed broadband will offer better access to information, and support and stimulate Wellington's communication and economic needs.

Wellington City Council has adopted a vision for enabling high-speed city-wide broadband internet access by 2012. The Council is exploring options on how to achieve this.

The vision aims to foster development of an affordable, universal, high capacity service meeting the needs of all users.

Enabling Economic Transformation Through Broadband report (124Kb PDF) | Text version (233Kb HTML)

Background

Cuba Mall

Broadband - or high capacity telecommunications - networks are formed from fibre optic cable, copper wire or wireless signal. Performance is measured in bits per second (bps) or data transmission speed.

While Wellington's existing CityLink network provides a high level of broadband infrastructure, this is limited to the central city area. Coverage beyond the central city compares poorly with overseas cities.

New Zealand's broadband penetration lags behind many OECD countries. 2007 OECD statistics for New Zealand showed:

• 16.5 broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants
• less than 700,000 subscribers
• a ranking of 20 (out of 30) for connections
• 21st for connection cost.

Broadband Fact Sheet (135Kb PDF) | Text version (21Kb HTML)

Public Consultation

The Council has consulted on the project with government departments, telecommunications and technology providers, network developers, internet service providers (ISP) and investors.

• Request for Concept
  A Request for Concept (RFC) process in April-May 2007 gauged interest and provided information on how to progress.
  Broadband Request for Concept (99Kb PDF) | Text version (84Kb HTML)
• Draft Annual Plan
  The 2007/08 Draft Annual Plan consultation sought feedback on the Council's involvement in the broadband vision. More than 60 percent of submissions were positive.
• Telephone Survey
  In a May 2007 telephone survey on the Annual Plan, 53 percent of residents favoured (17 percent opposed) the Council's involvement in access to affordable broadband.

Progress

The Council has produced a network model. The first stage would link MUSH (Municipal - University - School - Hospital) entities in an urban fibre backbone network. These are identified as the services most beneficial to the city.

Changes recommended to facilitate investment in broadband infrastructure include:

• making assets available
• amending the rules around infrastructure installation
• creating a Council-owned duct network in conjunction with other works to reduce costs.

Following on from the Budget 2008 announcement of government funding for broadband development, the Council is considering further steps to achieve the vision.

• Broadband Report: Strategy & Policy Committee - 12 June 2008 (142Kb PDF) | Text version (127Kb HTML)
• Broadband Report: Strategy & Policy Committee - 10 April 2008 (537Kb PDF) | Text version (344Kb HTML)
• Milestones 2007/2008

More Information

Nicola Old
Project Coordinator

Related Links

• Annual Plan 2007/08
• Broadband Fact Sheet (135Kb PDF) | Text version (21Kb HTML)
• Broadband Request for Concept (99Kb PDF) | Text version (84Kb HTML)
• Enabling Economic Transformation Through Broadband report (124Kb PDF) | Text version (233Kb HTML)
• Broadband Report: Strategy & Policy Committee - 10 April 2008 (537Kb PDF) | Text version (344Kb HTML)
• Broadband Report: Strategy & Policy Committee - 12 June 2008 (142Kb PDF) | Text version (127Kb HTML)
• Information & Communications Technology Policy
• News Release - 11 April 2008
• News Release - 27 April 2007
• News Release - 1 March 2007
• Broadband Investment Fund - Ministry of Economic Development website

Department Details:
Strategy