The Government’s world-class ultra-fast broadband initiative continues to gather pace throughout New Zealand, with work starting in Invercargill and Hawera, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says.

Work to build an Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) network got underway in Invercargill today, while deployment starts in Hawera on Monday.

When work begins in Hawera, UFB deployment will have commenced in 20 towns or cities.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams tomorrow travels to Seoul for the 2012 Korea Australia and New Zealand (KANZ) Summit, and the World Information and Communications Summit.

The summits, in Seoul from May 14-16, bring together Government, industry, research and policy representatives to share insights into their experiences in broadband and to explore joint ventures and research partnerships.

More than 11,000 Timaru premises will benefit from ultra-fast broadband, including about 900 businesses, 75 medical facilities and 15 schools, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams announced today.

Ms Adams was in Timaru today to mark the start of work to build an ultra-fast broadband (UFB) network in Timaru.

“Today marks the start of a new era of world-class broadband infrastructure for Timaru,” Ms Adams says.

“UFB will revolutionise the way many Timaru businesses, schools and healthcare providers operate.

The Government’s ultra-fast broadband (UFB) initiative is now underway in New Plymouth, bringing real gains to schools, medical facilities, businesses and residents.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Amy Adams this morning joined with Ultrafast Fibre Ltd to deploy the first UFB network in the New Plymouth CBD.

Under the UFB initiative Ultrafast Fibre is contracted to roll out fibre-optic cable to about 163,000 premises in Hamilton, Tauranga, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Hawera and Tokoroa.

Patients and medical practitioners at rural hospitals and health centres are set to benefit from ultra-fast broadband, Health Minister Tony Ryall and Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams announced today.

Under the second phase of Rural Broadband Initiative contracts, 37 rural hospitals will receive ultra-fast broadband, including Balclutha, Dargaville, Reefton, Thames and Stratford. The contracts also provide for 10 health centres.

Rural public libraries to get UFB boost

Public access to broadband has received a big boost, with 183 rural public libraries included in the Rural Broadband Initiative, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams and Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain have announced.

Ultra-fast broadband (UFB) will be available at libraries throughout the country, including in Winton, Waimate, Darfield, Hokitika, Te Kuiti, Opotiki and Ngaruawahia.

Ms Adams says having UFB available at rural libraries will make a big difference to local communities.

Work will begin to connect all of New Zealand’s remaining schools, including our most remote, to faster broadband, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams announced today.

Ms Parata says 57 remote schools and 193 provincial schools are included in the latest Rural Broadband Initiative contracts.

The remote schools, which includes schools in Haast, Stewart Island and Great Barrier Island, will receive faster broadband (10Mbps or more) using point to point wireless technology.

Some of the most remote schools in New Zealand, as well as rural hospitals and libraries can now look forward to faster broadband after the Government selected its preferred providers for the final Rural Broadband Initiative contracts, worth $14.4 million.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says the announcement signals the second and final phase of the Government's $300 million Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI).

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams today announced the completion of cellular spectrum renewals that secure key rights for Telecom, 2degrees and Vodafone through to 2031.

Telecom has this week completed settlement, enabling it to renew the 850 megahertz (MHz) band rights that it uses for its XT network.

2degrees settled in January for the 900 MHz rights for its GSM network, while Vodafone choose to settle early, renewing its 900 MHz band rights in 2009.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has welcomed news that Australian movie and television service Quickflix has decided to enter the New Zealand market.

“This is one of the early signs that the market understands the new opportunities that will be available under the ultra-fast broadband initiative (UFB),” Ms Adams says.

“These are exciting times as UFB changes and challenges existing approaches. It brings considerable opportunities for new offerings in many areas."

The roll out of ultra-fast broadband to more schools in Hamilton, Tauranga, New Plymouth and Whanganui will see thousands more students able to be connected to the network by July, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams say.

Ultrafast Fibre, one of the Government’s four UFB partners, today announced the next 23 schools in these regions that will be able to connect to the network by July this year.

These schools are in addition to another nine that were deployed by Ultrafast Fibre in January.

The Government’s $1.35 billion ultra-fast broadband initiative presents a unique opportunity for Canterbury as it starts to rebuild, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says.

Speaking at an event in Christchurch tonight to highlight the role UFB will play in rebuilding Canterbury, Ms Adams told the audience that they have an opportunity to shape the region’s future.

More than 410,000 students at over 1500 schools will have access to ultra-fast broadband by July next year, says Education Minister Hekia Parata and Communications and IT Minister Amy Adams.

Prime Minister John Key today announced the next 693 schools to be connected by Chorus, one of the Crown’s four partners for the ultra-fast broadband initiative and the fibre provider for the rural broadband initiative.

It includes schools in Invercargill, Dunedin, Timaru, Greymouth, Nelson, Gisborne, Whakatane, Auckland, and many other areas.

The roll out of ultra-fast broadband to more Christchurch schools will see thousands more students able to be connected by July, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says.

Enable, the Government’s ultra-fast broadband partner for Christchurch, today released details of the next 11 schools in the region that will be able to connect to the network by July this year.

This means there will be more than 37,000 students at 71 schools in Christchurch with access to UFB.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has welcomed news that MediaWorks intends to utilise the early payment option in its contract for its broadcasting licences, more than two years ahead of schedule.

Nine broadcasters, including RadioWorks – a subsidiary of MediaWorks, chose to take up the Government's offer of a deferred payment scheme in 2010 for their 20-year spectrum licences.

The Government’s ultra-fast broadband (UFB) initiative is now underway in Dunedin, bringing future gains to schools, medical facilities, businesses and residents.

This morning Chorus deployed the first UFB-enabling network past Dunedin Hospital.

More rural homes can say goodbye to dial-up internet following today’s launch of the first of 154 new broadband wireless towers, says Minister for Communications and Information Technology Amy Adams.

Ms Adams was on site at Eureka, near Hamilton, to see the tower launched as part of the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI).

“The new tower in Eureka represents the first of many that will give rural New Zealand homes and businesses better access to fast broadband – a necessity in today’s world,” says Ms Adams.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams today released a discussion paper reviewing the 111 emergency calling system.

The review considers the performance of the 111 system through to the point where calls are handed over by Telecom to emergency service providers. It does not cover the response of emergency service providers to 111 calls.

About three million 111 calls are made each year, 25 per cent of which are genuine calls needing to be transferred to emergency service communication centres.