Waikato regional economic profile - Waikato Regional Council

The surveys identified that there is a need to carry out substantial capital programmesin coming years in order to maintain the agreed service levels. This will ensure that theschemes perform to their design. The following flood capital works have been identifiedand proposed to be undertaken:Piako: Works of $3.26 million over a 7 year period;Waihou: Works of $2.45 million over a 5 year period; andLower Waikato: Works of $3.6 million over a 10 year period.4.5 TelecommunicationsThis sector includes: the Southern Cross Cable, an undersea cable of three fibre pairs by which NewZealand receives data from the world a nationwide copper cable network national fibre-based backhaul networks for intercity connectivity television and radio signals delivered across radio spectrum, and three cellular mobile networks. 258Detailed information about these networks at the regional level is not available.The National Infrastructure Plan (2011) notes that future demand for communicationstechnology outstrips current communications infrastructure. New Zealand’s coppernetwork cannot be upgraded to provide the speed and capacity consumers will expectin the medium term, and investment in wireless, while strong, cannot provide acomplete alternative in the short-term. 259While there has been some investment in fibre networks in major urban centres in NewZealand, it is clear that the market has not been ready, or may not have adequateincentives, to build the infrastructure required to deliver fibre on scale quickly.Furthermore, fibre may have not been initially deployed to those users that will provideproductivity gains (e.g. schools, hospitals) as they may not always be the mostcommercially attractive targets for private investment. Finally, there is a significant gapbetween broadband availability, services, speed and quality in urban and rural areas. 260These issues constrain opportunity for communications technology to contribute to theeconomy through improvements in efficiency (e.g. through the use of communicationsin health and education and for business transactions) and through the creation of newmarkets (such as film production). In addition, improvements to communication optionsin rural areas could lead to improvements in productivity. 261The Government is currently implementing the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) initiativeand Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI). The UFB initiative will see fibre-optic cable madeavailable to 75 per cent of New Zealanders over the next ten years, with an emphasison businesses, schools, health services and greenfield developments in the initial sixyears. The government is investing up to $1.5 billion in this network. RBI will providemuch improved broadband connectivity to rural schools, health providers, businesses,farms and households, and will be funded by industry through the proposedTelecommunications Development Levy. 262Some areas of the region will not be covered by the government’s RBI rollout, however,which could prevent those people and communities from taking advantage of thehealth, education and business benefits of the new technology.258New Zealand Government (2011d, p. 31).259New Zealand Government (2011d, p. 29).260New Zealand Government (2011d, p. 29).261New Zealand Government (2011d, p. 29).262New Zealand Government (2011d, p. 30).Page 70 Doc #: 2069885