Releases

Communications Minister Amy Adams has today announced the establishment of a Cyber Security Skills Taskforce to address the shortage of cyber professionals in New Zealand. The Taskforce will focus on practical actions to increase the number of cyber professionals the industry needs to help defend against cyber-attacks, which cost the New Zealand economy $257 million last year. ...

Communications Minister Amy Adams has today welcomed the Commerce Select Committee’s decision to seek public submissions on the benefits of rolling out fibre on rural electricity infrastructure, albeit on a shortened timeframe. ...

New Zealand and Australia are working together on practical initiatives to boost trans-Tasman cyber security, Communications Minister Amy Adams says. Ms Adams recently returned from Australia, where she met with her counterpart, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security, Dan Tehan. ...

Improved broadband and mobile services for rural New Zealand will grow regional economies and boost tourism in key destinations, Communications Minister Amy Adams says. A Request for Proposals has been issued to extend the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) and provide mobile coverage to black spots on state highways and in tourist areas. ...

An area the size of 450,000 rugby fields has been added to the country’s cell network in just two years, says Communications Minister Amy Adams. Thirty-four new cell towers have expanded coverage by an extra 3825 square kilometres to rural areas previously without coverage. The new towers are a result of requirements set in the auction of the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum, won by Spark and Vodafone in 2014. Under the auction agreement Spark and Vodafone were required to build new towers in new rural areas in the first five years after the purchase. ...