Vector pushes fibre bid

Vector is pushing hard with its bid to build a fibre optic network in Auckland. Photo / Warren Buckland

Vector has launched an aggressive campaign to back its fibre optic network bid days before the release of a timetable for assessing the proposals and awarding contracts.

Vector has submitted a bid to build a network in Auckland as part of the Government's $1.5 billion initiative.

It says it launched the marketing campaign because of a lack of awareness in the fibre debate.

One competitor in the running to build the network, Telecom, has been under fire for failures of its XT cellphone network but Vector said the campaign was not aimed at its rival.

"It's not intentional. As you can appreciate, these types of campaigns are not developed overnight," chief executive Simon Mackenzie said.

However, Telecom's problems were helping competitors.

"I would think that from a public perspective ... a number of people might be thinking, 'How does this stack up against their [Telecom's] recent builds?"'

Vector on Friday announced it had lifted half-year net profit 11.6 per cent to $101 million.

It has already laid around 1000km of fibre optic cable around Auckland.

A Government body, Crown Fibre Holdings, will oversee the project, which will involve the creation of 33 "local fibre companies" - one for each centre covered by the network.

Telecom and Canada's Axia NetMedia want to build the entire network.