Central Fibre consortium in broadband talks

Tuesday 8th March 2011 2 Comments

A consortium of electricity lines companies is the latest party to be selected for prioritised negotiations as part of the Government's $1.5 billion ultra fast broadband (UFB) initiative.

Government agency Crown Fibre Holdings today said it had selected the Central Fibre Consortium for the areas covering Napier-Hastings, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Taupo, Pukekohe, Waiuku, Whakatane, Gisborne, Feilding and Masterton.

Companies in the consortium are Unison Networks, Counties Power, Eastland Group, Horizon Energy Distribution, and Central Lines.

The areas covered by Central Fibre are also among those for which Telecom was selected for prioritised negotiations.

Central Fibre chairman Simon Allen said it great to have his group and Telecom contesting the opportunity to become the Crown's partner for UFB in regional cities.

Fibre to the premise would make regional centres more competitive, improve health and education systems, and help local businesses connect to world markets, he said.

NZPA

Comments from our readers

On 9 March 2011 at 11:01 am erwin said:

At last, a ray of sunshine in the UFB story. Players with a real regional interest get the opportunity to address their customers needs. The big national players are not doing well in consumer stasifactions surveys. Smaller regional players are doign much better. Lets hope that regional players with the aid of the Central Fibre Consortium will get a chance to make some rapid progress to improve regional broadband development.

On 9 March 2011 at 7:03 pm John said:

What a hodge podge coming. 60 years ago the Wairarapa was awash with a hodge podge of telephone offices. All with the same basic telephone. The post office telecomms had to untangle, merge and develop a common service from that hodge podge. Lightning does strike twice in the same area. Engineers in the future will have to undo that upcoming hodge podge.