Keen response to govt's $1.5b broadband plan

The government has received multiple proposals from organisations keen to take part in the $1.5 billion Ultra Fast Broadband initiative.

In a brief statement Crown Fibre Holdings (CFH) Chair Simon Allen says it is considering 33 proposals from 18 respondents. Bids for the UFB closed at 4pm on Friday.

Among the proposals are two national solutions and one from “an experienced international fibre operator", Allen says.

“There is no doubt that, given the quantity of proposals received, that CFH has a number of options to meet the Government requirement of rolling out ultra- fast broadband to 75% of New Zealand's population, and this is an encouraging step towards achieving that goal.”

The CFH is expected to announce within the next two weeks an indicative timetable for the process of assessing the proposals.