New Zealand's Ultra-Fast Broadband Plan: Digital Public Works Project for the Twenty-First Century or Playfield of Incumbent Interests?. Issue 1 (May 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Winseck, Dwayne
• Is Part Of: Media international Australia. Number 151:Issue 1(2014)
• Page Start: 157
• Page End: 170
• Publication Date: 2014-05
• Subjects: Mass media -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Australia -- Periodicals; Communication -- Australia -- Periodicals; Australia -- Cultural policy -- Periodicals; Médias -- Aspect social -- Périodiques; Médias -- Australie -- Périodiques; Communication -- Australie -- Périodiques; Massamedia; Communication; Cultural policy; Mass media; Mass media -- Social aspects; Australia; Periodicals; 302.23
• DOI: 10.1177/1329878X1415100120
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1324-5325

Abstract

This article examines the development of telecommunications, media and internet in New Zealand and the prospects for the government's Ultra-Fast Broadband and Rural Broadband initiatives. Several factors are identified that could contribute to consolidating the success of recent efforts: increasing telecommunications competition since 2006, a recent growth spurt in internet and mobile wireless use, an improved regulatory environment and the rise of the 'prime-time' internet. However, high levels of concentration, low levels of media and internet use made worse by restrictive data caps, the contradiction between a sizable government subsidy for broadband fibre development versus a very hesitant regulator, and powerful incumbents intent on preserving and extending their legacy business models into new areas – including the UFB – diminish such prospects.