While Oakura is set to benefit from the government-funded rollout of ultra-fast broadband (UFB), larger towns Waitara and Inglewood will miss out.

 

The high-speed internet will, however, be made available in schools in those areas.

 

Places where UFB cables would be laid were determined by the Government based on forecast population size to the year 2021 provided by Statistics New Zealand, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

 

But according to Statistics NZ, the projected population of Oakura is only 1410 - less than a quarter of Waitara's, which has a projected population of 6570.

 

The projected population of Inglewood in 2021 is 3250, more than double that of Oakura.

 

Waitara mother-of-three Denise Welch said it was disappointing, but unsurprising, that the ultra- fast internet would not be available in Waitara any time soon.

 

"It's like we're the poor neighbour. "I'm disappointed, because our community is really going ahead, but we're being treated that way by the Government," she said, questioning why Oakura would get UFB when it had a lower headcount. "Is it because they're an affluent community?"

 

Greg Stephens, New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd's advisor, said he was looking into why UFB cables would be laid in Oakura if they were not being laid in Waitara or Inglewood.

 

Brett Morris from Ultra Fast Fibre, the company behind Taranaki's UFB rollout, said many satellite towns up and down the country were excluded because of "trimming" to meet budgets.

 

"Just as the Auckland UFB area doesn't include Piha, and Kapiti doesn't include Otaki, New Plymouth doesn't include Waitara.

 

"Oakura was both within the original 'candidate area' for UFB, which was subject to negotiation and within the final 'coverage area' agreed between Ultra Fast Fibre and the Crown as a result of those negotiations."

 

He said both Waitara and Inglewood were not listed as being part of the original candidate areas in the documentation that he'd seen from about 2010/2011.

 

"Prior to that [before we won the bid] I'm not sure."

 

A MBIE spokeswoman said it was not economically viable to deliver fibre to every part of New Zealand.

 

"The Government has decided to provide UFB to our largest cities and towns, where the greatest population density means the greatest number will benefit.

 

"In the case of Oakura, parts of this area are receiving UFB and connections are scheduled to be made available by 2016 as a result of commercial negotiations.

 

"Waitara and Inglewood fall outside the scope of the Government's UFB initiative."

 

Ad Feedback

 

 

 

She said most areas surrounding Waitara and Inglewood were receiving fixed wireless or improved copper broadband services through the Rural Broadband Initiative.

 

Chorus was responsible for deploying UFB fibre to schools in Waitara and Inglewood, she said, and schools would have the ability to share their fibre connections with the community.

 

- Taranaki Daily News