It's Vector on the line

Vector said the aim of its 'Fibre to the Door' campaign was to increase awareness in the fibre debate. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Lines company Vector has been canvassing Aucklanders on who they would like to build the local leg of a high-speed broadband network - even though the public hold no sway over the final decision.

Herald reporters were among the 1100 people called at home by market research company Colmar Brunton and quizzed on the Government's $1.5 billion fibre-based broadband scheme on behalf of Vector.

They said the line of questioning seemed to favour Vector, asking whether they would rather have a broadband connection over fibre-to-the-door built by Vector or a broadband network using a mix of fibre and copper provided by Telecom. Vector's proposal was presented as the faster option.

Vector are vying for taxpayer cash to build a high-speed broadband network using fibre optic network technology in the Auckland region.

A government body, Crown Fibre Holdings, is scrutinising confidential bids from Vector, Telecom and 16 other organisations to build fibre networks across all or part of New Zealand's urban areas.

The fibre scheme promises to deliver speeds of 100 megabits per second - around 50 times faster than today's average broadband speeds - to 75 per cent of the population.

A Vector spokesperson said the phone survey would be used to track awareness of the fibre scheme and Vector's proposal.

Respondents were asked what they knew about the broadband scheme, which companies had expressed an interest, whether they had seen or heard any advertising from Vector about its proposal and whether they would rather see Vector or Telecom building the Auckland network.

Earlier this year, Vector launched an aggressive "Fibre to the Door" marketing campaign with billboards, print and television ads.

An associated website encouraged people to have a say on the Government's ultra-fast fibre plan.

It said: "Continuing with any network that still relies on copper - like fibre to your neighbourhood then old-fashioned copper wire the rest of the way - will mean continuing to put up with bottlenecks, restricted speeds and traffic jams."

At the time Vector said it created the marketing campaign because of a lack of awareness in the fibre debate.