Kiwis' broadband complaints outdated - InternetNZ

InternetNZ's Andrew Cushen says New Zealanders like to complain about the state of our broadband infrastructure (file)
InternetNZ's Andrew Cushen says New Zealanders like to complain about the state of our broadband infrastructure (file)

InternetNZ says it's not our broadband that sucks – it's how we're using it.

The group's annual NetHui event logs on in Auckland today, hosting key figures from the industry, MPs and others interested in how the internet is changing our lives, and what lies ahead.

InternetNZ work programme director Andrew Cushen says New Zealanders like to complain about the state of our broadband infrastructure, but the reality has left the cliché behind.

"The simple fact of the matter is over the last five years in particular, the Government has put in a great deal of money through the ultra-fast broadband programme and the rural broadband initiative, to make New Zealand's internet some of the best in the world," he said on TV3's Paul Henry programme this morning.

"Yes there are still some issues, yes there are still some people waiting for some rollouts to get there. But the story is really fantastic in terms of the capability of the network… By 2020, 98 percent of New Zealanders are going to have really fantastic connectivity."

The real problem, Mr Cushen believes, is New Zealanders aren't taking advantage of what the internet is capable of nowadays – either because they don't know, or don't want to know.

"We all know how to use YouTube, we all know how to email – those are the basic net skills I think everybody has. But in order to truly derive the economic and social benefits, we're going to have to get a little bit more complicated as a country.

"That's where there's some evidence that we as New Zealanders lag behind some other countries – using the technology for more complicated skills."

He says a "behavioural change" is needed to get Kiwis taking advantage of some of the most basic functions the modern internet offers – like continuing to pay for phone calls when they could be using Skype, for example.

"If we can master that behavioural change there is plenty of evidence now that we can have great economic returns through using these networks, and fantastic social outcomes as well."

NetHui runs from today until Friday at Sky City.

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