KEY POINTS:
There's hope for frustrated internet users in Northland yet, with electricity lines company Northpower planning to branch out from power to broadband.
Broadband has been stifled by the region's geography and widely dispersed housing, and Whangarei MP Phil Heatley says he is inundated with complaints from people frustrated by slow internet connections.
"Apart from the business aspect, given that Whangarei is a fast-growing district and infrastructure has to keep up with growth, many people are genuinely frustrated that they cannot communicate quickly or clearly with family and friends, or gather vital information over the internet," Mr Heatley said.
Telecom says it will install 70 new broadband cabinets (high-speed mini- exchanges linked by 50km of fibre optic cable in Northland over the next four years. Whangarei, Maungatapere, Ruakaka, Dargaville, Kerikeri, Kaitaia and Paihia will be connected by 2010 - but Mr Heatley said that was too little, too late.
Now lines company Northpower has proposed using its own fibre optic cables - currently used for digital power metering - to also deliver broadband.
The company would provide the infrastructure but would not take on the role of an ISP (internet service provider).
Mr Heatley said Northpower's proposal could only be good for the region, especially as it was a local company with a good reputation.
"It doesn't matter whether Telecom or someone else installs the infrastructure. The point is getting it to customers as soon as possible."
Northpower marketing manager Darren Mason said a corridor of fibre optic cables had already been installed, including substations in Alexander St, Western Hills Dr, Kioreroa Rd, Raumanga, Tikipunga and Hikurangi.
Cables testing would be complete by the end of the month, and then he expected a "bedding down period" of about a year before customers could access the faster service through their ISP.
He said once the initial corridor of cable was up and running, it would be easy to branch out to other areas.
"Telecom's plans may be affected by what we are doing. The doubling up of infrastructure doesn't work for anyone. They will want to use what's already there."
Mr Mason said now the company was connected for its own requirements it would start looking for broadband partners. Northpower was focusing on Whangarei and surrounding areas to start with.
Technology commentator Russell Brown said power companies were already providing broadband internet in the South Island and Auckland, with Vector Energy busy installing huge fibre-optic "tunnels".
"It's an international trend where the costs of installation aren't financially attractive to companies like Telecom ... for lines companies, providing broadband through their own fibre-optic cables is a lower risk. They see it as just another utility."
Mr Brown said Telecom had been difficult in the past but was now making an effort.
"To be fair to Telecom, they have come a long way with schemes like the broadband challenge and installation of faster infrastructure. They've spent $1.4 billion improving broadband nationally."
He said it was a natural progression for Northpower to become a broadband infrastructure provider.
"The future of New Zealand broadband is likely to be about a variety of network operators working together.
"The question is, how do they connect together?"
IT expert Peter Griffin said the huge costs involved in providing infrastructure had seen the Government tread a thin line with Telecom.
"They can't demand Telecom install everything straight away because the costs would probably make them bankrupt."
He said New Zealand wasn't attractive enough for the international private sector to invest.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
