Land access changes to streamline UFB rollout

Communications Minister Amy Adams has today released a raft of proposals to help speed up the installation of Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB).

The Land Access for Telecommunications discussion document seeks feedback on ideas to reduce unnecessary costs and delays with the UFB rollout.

“As one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects New Zealand has ever undertaken, the UFB programme is not a small and incremental upgrade to an existing network but rather a complete rollout of a new and innovative technology into our homes, businesses and schools,” Ms Adams says.

“With demand for UFB taking off and the number of network connections now exceeding expectations, we’re gaining a better understanding of the nature and scale of some of the challenges that can be encountered with a programme this ambitious.

“There have been frustrating delays faced by some customers and industry in installing broadband cables up shared driveways and in apartment complexes due to disputes and permission requirements. There are also unnecessary costs being placed on the build through the inefficient use of existing infrastructure.

“While the industry has a role in streamlining the way they process UFB applications, the Government is ensuring the regulations are fit for purpose.”

Current regulations mean that in some cases efforts to deploy fibre could add over double the cost and cause delays of more than a year in order to secure agreement from various individual land owners and purchases easements for every property passed.

“New Zealanders are crying out for ultra-fast broadband because they recognise it’s a huge opportunity for improved connectivity. We want to give New Zealanders easy and fair access to better broadband, rather than hold up the rollout with burdensome rules and regulations,” says Ms Adams.

The discussion document outlines four proposals for change:
· amending the way in which network operators seek permission to access private property (in situations like shared driveways and apartment buildings)
· enabling better use of existing utility infrastructure to more efficiently roll out fibre networks
· providing more certainty to network operators regarding their ability to maintain fibre infrastructure installed on private property
· establishing an expanded and accessible disputes resolution process to ensure that land access disputes can be resolved quickly and fairly.

Submissions close at 5pm on 24 July 2015

The Land Access for Telecommunications discussion document can be found at: http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/technology-communication/communications/broadband-policy/telecommunications-infrastructure-deployment/land-access-for-telecommunications-consultation.

Spark New Zealand welcomes proposed UFB consenting changes

The process for getting connected to Ultrafast Fibre Broadband (UFB) network will become a lot less painful if recommendations to speed up the consenting process for installs are enacted.

“This is a difficult technical issue and Minister Adams should be congratulated for helping to get fibre uptake moving,” says Spark New Zealand General Manager Product and Service Delivery Lindsay Cowley.

“Spark New Zealand is fully supportive of the Government’s UFB programme and any moves to help speed up and simplify the processes for connecting our customers to the fibre network.

“The proposed changes would make it easier for thousands of New Zealanders to easily connect to ultra-fast fibre broadband. Our analysis shows that approximately 1-in-8 customers has to go through a consent process to connect to fibre and many simply give up when the hassle becomes too much.”

Spark launched its range of Ultra Fibre products in March 2013 and is the only provider offering fibre products on a nationwide basis. Spark is also the largest provider of fibre connections and has been working with Chorus and the other Local Fibre Companies to make it as easy as possible to connect to the network.

“We are concerned that connections are taking too long, costs can escalate and drop-off rates can double when a customer has to go through the consenting process. The move toward allowing a more permissive consenting regime in cases of right-of-ways and multi-unit-dwellings is a pragmatic solution to this problem.

“Unfortunately we’re currently faced with instances where people want to sign up for fibre, but can’t do so because of problems getting what should be relatively straight-forward agreements to install the cable. Given the enormous task of building the new fibre network and getting people to move on from their copper connection, the consent process for connecting should really be as easy as possible.

“Spark New Zealand is investing in the kind of things that get people to fibre, such as Lightbox internet TV, the ability to deliver HD, cloud computing for business and smart living solutions. Fibre is extremely important to our country’s future. That’s why it should be as easy as possible for our customers to connect,” says Mr Cowley.