Super fast fibre to the door in 7 years

Super fast fibre to the door in 7 years

Vector plans to provide an ultra-fast open access fibre broadband solution to the door of every Aucklander.

And it will do so three years faster than the Government’s 10 year deadline by drawing on its extensive experience in building, maintaining and operating multiple infrastructure networks.

The company has today submitted a substantial response to the Government’s $1.5 billion ultra-fast broadband (UFB) initiative tender.

Accompanying its bid are numerous letters of support from many of New Zealand’s leading telecommunications providers, councils and service providers.

Chief Executive Simon Mackenzie says this level of support is immensely encouraging and appreciated.

“With over 90 years of critical infrastructure experience, backed by best-of-breed international technology partners, we can deliver an exceptional fibre to the door broadband solution,” says Mr Mackenzie.

In its submission to the Crown, Vector has proposed to take its ultra-fast fibre network past 133,000 Auckland premises within two years (including 18,000 businesses), connect 255 Auckland schools and 57 medical facilities within three years and pass 57% of businesses within four years.

Thanks to an extensive Auckland-wide fibre network, the company already has a solid foundation of fibre to reach 60,000 businesses and almost 500,000 residences within seven years.

“Our proposal is to deliver fibre right to the door. Existing broadband services are only drip-feeding New Zealanders and Vector plans to turn the tap on to ensure fibre connections are taken to at least 450,000 premises throughout Auckland.”

Vector’s proposal conforms to the Government’s submission guidelines (Invitation to Participate) by offering to build and manage a dark fibre network for the soon to be established Super City.

Mr Mackenzie says Vector can build a world class fibre network quickly and is ready to start as soon as a commercially acceptable agreement can be reached.

“Vector has backed the Government’s UFB initiative from day one and we believe that only by operating a truly open access network can there be the level of retail competition, productivity and innovation demanded by the Government.

“This means that existing and new retailers can offer vastly improved and new solutions whether these are in education, health, entertainment, TV, information or communications markets.”

Mr Mackenzie says the core advantage Vector has over competing Auckland-based UFB bidders is that the company can leverage existing assets and draw off a decade of fibre investment and almost a century of major infrastructure experience.

“We have a history of providing open access networks with no legacy assets or other divisions to protect – along with a history of regulatory compliance.

“We are committed to fibre as a long term infrastructure investment. We are also a leading member of the New Zealand Regional Fibre Group and have developed a nationally consistent set of standards to ensure inter-connectivity across all regions.”

Vector is developing a proposal which could provide a dramatic step-change through the creation of an open access, national layer 2 (or lit) fibre network.

A national layer 2 service would lower barriers to entry for smaller telco service providers like internet businesses, but would also truly open up New Zealand’s communication network for new service providers like health and education specialists.

“It is time that fibre to the door is deployed so that we can keep pace with the rest of the world and gain access to greater economic productivity. Vector is best placed to meet this ambition for Auckland,” says Mr Mackenzie.

ENDS

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