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The roll out of ultra-fast broadband to more Christchurch schools will see thousands more students able to be connected by July, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says.

Enable, the Government’s ultra-fast broadband partner for Christchurch, today released details of the next 11 schools in the region that will be able to connect to the network by July this year.

This means there will be more than 37,000 students at 71 schools in Christchurch with access to UFB.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has welcomed news that MediaWorks intends to utilise the early payment option in its contract for its broadcasting licences, more than two years ahead of schedule.

Nine broadcasters, including RadioWorks – a subsidiary of MediaWorks, chose to take up the Government's offer of a deferred payment scheme in 2010 for their 20-year spectrum licences.

The Government’s ultra-fast broadband (UFB) initiative is now underway in Dunedin, bringing future gains to schools, medical facilities, businesses and residents.

This morning Chorus deployed the first UFB-enabling network past Dunedin Hospital.

More rural homes can say goodbye to dial-up internet following today’s launch of the first of 154 new broadband wireless towers, says Minister for Communications and Information Technology Amy Adams.

Ms Adams was on site at Eureka, near Hamilton, to see the tower launched as part of the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI).

“The new tower in Eureka represents the first of many that will give rural New Zealand homes and businesses better access to fast broadband – a necessity in today’s world,” says Ms Adams.

Good morning. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to speak at this important event highlighting the benefits of bringing faster broadband to New Zealand.

First, can I thank the Commerce Commission for organising this conference, and for the work that has gone into the three demand side issues papers.

I particularly want to acknowledge and thank Dr Ross Patterson for his commitment to the telecommunications industry since 2007, the work that he has done in times of significant change and the even hand he is renowned for.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams today released a discussion paper reviewing the 111 emergency calling system.

The review considers the performance of the 111 system through to the point where calls are handed over by Telecom to emergency service providers. It does not cover the response of emergency service providers to 111 calls.

About three million 111 calls are made each year, 25 per cent of which are genuine calls needing to be transferred to emergency service communication centres.

Internal Affairs Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the first reading of a bill that will make it easier for people to verify their identities to government agencies.

The Electronic Identity Verification Bill will provide people using the Internet with the option of an easy and secure way to verify their identities to access a range of services from government agencies.

The service works in combination with the igovt log-on service, which allows people to use one log-on to access secure online services across multiple government agencies.