new zealand broadband

Telecom NZ smokes the peace pipe
By Renai LeMay, ZDNet Australia
29 June 2006 09:01 AM


The action is also hotting up across the Tasman, as New Zealand wrestles with many of the same issues being debated here.

Much of the current discussion was generated by the early May announcement of a sweeping package of government reforms aimed at boosting New Zealand's broadband uptake.

That package, introduced to the country's parliament yesterday, will force the nation's incumbent telco Telecom New Zealand to give rivals direct access to its copper telephony network.

You could almost hear the drool hit the pavement in May as the Kiwi operations of telcos like Telstra and iiNet started salivating.

And no doubt New Zealand's broadband-hungry public was just as happy with the looming increase in competition.

But at the time it looked as Telecom New Zealand's management