Fibre Over Power Lines - Great News
Yesterday the legislation enabling fibre optic over power poles on private land had its second reading in parliament. Very soon now every lines company will have the right to add fibre to every existing pole.
This is wonderful news for rural NZ. No more second class "rural broadband" - over time they will have exactly the same Ultra Fast Broadband as Queen Street and Lambton Quay.
I've been working on this through consultancy Heartland Connectivity Taskforce. We've been working with a number of lines companies, WISPs and other interested parties to push this through.
Big thanks to the groups who have supported us especially Federated Farmers, Rural Women and more.
Farmers, other rural dwellers and lines companies will be the big winners. The only possible loser is Chorus who will face more competition in the backhaul market and will no longer be the natural supplier of connectivity. In time, watch for electricity lines companies to position themselves as utilities lines companies.
No wonder NZ is so far ahead of Australia in the broadband stakes. This is great news.