The New Zealand government has announced moving up the timeline of its Rural Broadband Initiative Phase 2 (RBI2), which will now be complete by the end of 2021 rather than 2022.
"New Zealanders must have access to technology as a right, regardless of income or geography," Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Clare Curran said on Monday.
"We have to close the gap between the digital 'haves' and 'have nots' to ensure people and communities benefit from the jobs, access, and participation that a digital future brings."
RBI2 is being funded via a levy on telcos, as well as private funding from its mobile carriers Vodafone NZ, Spark, and 2degrees.
"Announcements will be made in the coming months on the outcome of the RBI2/MBSF [mobile blackspot fund] expansion process, which is currently under way," Curran added.
"There will be additional resources for rural communities not covered by these programmes to apply for under the NZ$1 billion Provincial Growth Fund."
The RBI2 website provides an address checker for citizens to see when they will provide coverage and from which service provider, with the government on Monday also announcing which areas will see a base station built under the program.
"Four regions -- Tairawhiti/East Coast, Tai Tokerau/Northland, the West Coast, and Manawatu-Whanganui -- were targeted for increased investment through a Provincial Growth Fund 'surge' effort, and they also overlap with work on delivering faster broadband to rural and remote communities through RBI2," Curran said.
"The basis of a digital economy is universal access to efficient and cost effective broadband for all corners and communities in New Zealand. This government intends to grow ICT to be the second largest contributor to GDP by 2025 so we