The underlying concept of universal service has been to ensure that information and advanced communication technologies (ICTs) are accessible to all communities as well as targeted population groups at affordable prices. The largest challenge in NZ, because of its topography, are those in the remote and rural communities, many of which have significant businesses needs with their export orientated agriculture ventures. The challenge is to find a workable solution to address this need and implement the country’s national vision of enhanced digital inclusion in a rapidly evolving ICT environment.
Our ICT experts teamed up with the State-Owned BCL (now Kordia) the state-owned terrestrial television network operator to examine the feasibility of utilizing its existing fiber backbone network to provide access to these communities. We were able to benchmark their economic efficiency and effectiveness by requiring the SOE to participate in a competitive process to deliver broadband. Our telecommunication/ICT engineering, legal and policy advisors examined the technical and commercial feasibility and our social and cultural advisors examined social and cultural sustainable partnership arrangements between private sector providers and keystone clients, such as schools and community-based facilities to jointly service low density rural areas.
Transformation
The proposed model was successful in
winning 50 percent of the tenders for delivering USO in rural areas (such as schools
and police stations) against other pure private sector operators by combining with
private sector