New Zealand wants help with its broadband initiative

New Zealand may have high aspirations with its proposed ultra-fast broadband plan, but it's being realistic on how it will carry it from the drawing board to the field. Now, the service provider is in the process of selecting partners to help build out this plan. Specifically, the New Zealand government wants privately-owned companies to co-invest in its broadband project. From there, the government says it will match private sector funding through a co-investment model in an open access-type network arrangement.

Under the plan, the government will fund a fiber-based network deployment. Over time, a Local Fiber Company (LFC) partner, which will take a greater share in the LFC as it deploys, owns and operates the open access network in a given coverage area, as it connects customers to the open access network. Private sector companies interested in participating in the process will be required to let the government know by November 13th, while proposals have to be filed by January 2010.

For more:
- Telecompaper has this article