Hawaiki Welcomes New Zealand’s Decision to Extend Its UFB
Hawaiki Submarine Cable has welcomed the New Zealand’s Government announcement that it is rolling out faster internet to more than 150 additional towns all across the country and has allocated $300 million to the next stage of the nationwide ultrafast fibre broadband (UFB) network.
“The ultrafast broadband infrastructure commitment by the Government is critical for New Zealand’s business, scientific and educational sectors in today’s fast moving, globally connected world,” said Remi Galasso, CEO of Hawaiki Submarine Cable.
“It is entirely consistent with the Hawaiki Submarine Cable project which will provide New Zealand with faster, more secure, cheaper and much greater capacity to connect to the world.
“Every new UFB connection in New Zealand gives rise to greater international data demands and highlights the importance for New Zealand to have diverse, competitive and secure international submarine cable infrastructure. Hawaiki provides this to New Zealand and we are delighted to see the support that the Government is giving locally to enable New Zealanders to extract the full potential from the Hawaiki Project and the substantial new capability it delivers to New Zealand,” Galasso added.
According to communications minister Simon Bridges, the first phase of the Government’s UFB programme is ahead of schedule in delivering fibre to the premises of 75 per cent of New Zealanders by 2019.
The second phase of UFB installations will start in 2017 and be completed between 2018 and 2024. Phase two of the build will see each build area be completed within a 12 month period in order to provide as little disruption as possible.
