The New Zealand government has set a lofty goal of connecting 99% of its population to 50 Mbps broadband or better by 2025 in order to ensure no one misses out on the opportunities of the digital age.
“Our use of, and reliance on, technology and broadband connectivity are increasing rapidly,” Amy Adams, New Zealand communications minister, announced. “It’s vital that we set aspirational targets to ensure we keep up with this pace of change. This is about setting a vision of where we want New Zealand to be in 10 years.”
The new standard would take New Zealand from being the 17th most-connected city to 7th in the world in connectivity, according to Adams. The goal also includes equipping the remaining 1% of residents with 10 Mbps broadband.
“We’ve come a long way already in improving rural connectivity under the [Rural Broadband Initiative] and 4G networks, with average Internet speeds having tripled since this government took office, but we want to take that even further,” she said.
The New Zealand government set aside $360 million in its 2015 budget to extend the country’s Ultra-Fast Broadband and Rural Broadband Initiatives and establish a “mobile black spot fund.”
Rural communities will be the greatest benefactor of the ambitious policy. The new target will increase the current 5 Mbps speeds in rural areas tenfold. Adams said fast, reliable broadband is needed in rural communities to help residents overcome the disadvantages of their remote location.
The new connectivity goals align with many upcoming projects from the New Zealand government that include the completion of phase one of the Rural Broadband Initiative at the end of 2016, rollout of 4G requirements in August 2019 and the completion of phase one and two of the Ultra-Fast Broadband initiative scheduled for 2019 and 2022 respectively.
“The targets send a critical signal to industry and consumers. They will provide guidance for industry investment, regulators and the government’s broader policy settings. They also recognize the importance we attach to connectivity as a critical enabler of economic growth,” Adams said.
