Possible phase-out of copper networks could be dangerous, remote residents say
Copper electrical power cable wire.
Photo:
123RF
Alarm bells are ringing for some households in remote parts of the country if Chorus
phases out its copper network
to replace with fibre instead.
The Commerce Commission has closed submissions on a draft recommendation to deregulate the copper network from rural areas, like it has in urban areas.
The Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith is due to make a decision by the end of the year.
But if it goes ahead, people in rural or remote areas say it will cut off their lifeline as they don't have access to other options to communicate or get help in an emergency.
Robyn lives in Lake Rotoiti near Rotorua. Her household relies on the copper network for its internet connection.
In the bay where Robyn lives, there's no phone signal and their copper landline has been removed so Robyn has to make calls on WI-FI.
Her street relies on the copper network for its internet connection, but if heaps of people are online at the same time, it often is overloaded.
"If you moved here and tried to get a connection you won't be able to. They keep putting more on so every night at peak hour our internet goes down which means our phones go down.
"Then they're telling us they're going to take the copper away but they're not putting fibre here, we've got no cell-phone coverage, and we can't get satellite either as we're in between two hills."
If the copper network is de-regulated, Robyn will have no way to call emergency services.
"That's actually dangerous cause I have some health issues and if my husband's not here and there's someone [not] with me, I've got no ability to call emergency services."
Chorus has to keep the copper network in rural areas, but it has asked the government if it can be freed from that like it has in urban areas.
The Commerce Commission agrees and has drafted a report that it has been taking submissions on. Submissions have now closed.
A Taupo resident - who doesn't want to be named - lives 10 kilometres away from the town centre and relies on the-copper network-for-her-landline-and-internet connection.
There's no phone signal where she lives. If the copper network is taken out earlier, she felt she would have little options to stay connected.
"What these providers want to do is they provide all these really good services and fibre and super-fibre; they provide it to where all the big populations are because it's worth their while but they're not providing it according to any need."
One solution that has been put forward is Starlink - a portable kit that's designed to provide high-speed internet for anywhere.
But the Taupo resident is worried about the reliability of Starlink, especially if there's bad weather.
Craig Young from the Technology Users Association New Zealand said for some people, the network was their lifeline.
"It's Telehealth, it's health and safety, being able to call for ambulances if there's an accident.
"It is about mental health, we know from situations like Cyclone Gabrielle when people can't connect or be connected, mental health suffers as well, it's not just about physical health.
"There's all sorts of impacts if you can't make those connections, let alone it's very hard to actually live and work these days as so much is done online."
Young said affordability of other methods of connection was also a problem. Starlink's residential plan costs $159 per month.
He said people who work from home would also be affected by the potential changes.
"It's not just remote rural that has an issue, but it's anywhere that can't get a decent wireless connection.
"Pushing fibre further is one possibility and so it has to be a programme where not just Chorus look at, but also the National Government to make sure no one is left behind."
Young said Aotearoa didn't have universal service obligations like Australia, so a service didn't have to be installed if there wasn't one already.
Starlink can be vulnerable to bad weather but it's still in its infancy.
Young said over the next few years more satellite providers were likely to come into the market.
"If the deregulation is left until later in the decade, and Chorus have said they do really want to switch the network off by 2030, and I think all of us have some sympathy with them that the network is getting older and less and less people on it.
"But what we need to make sure is that people have other viable, cost-effective options to be able to connect and particularly, in times of emergency."
Mark Hooper from Federated Farmers.
Photo:
RNZ / Robin Martin
Mark Hooper from Federated Farmers said he'd like to see more government investment in rural infrastructure.
He said there had been anxiety around the deregulation of the copper network.
"We need to look at the whole infrastructure model, the current government has made infrastructure investment a priority and there's a lot of talk about roads and bridges and other aspects that are desperately needed.
"But I think just as a part of that process we need to make sure we don't lose sight of having a permanent investment in a good fibre network and reaching to as far into rural communities as practical."
Submissions from the report will be finalised for Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith by the end of the year.
He'll then decide whether to go ahead with it.
Chorus general manager Anna Mitchell responsible for its copper retirement programme said fewer than 100,000 New Zealanders were using the copper network.
She said for 97 percent of people remaining on the copper network, there were three alternatives available.
"A geostationary satellite option, low earth orbit satellite [like] a service like Starlink as well as a fixed colour service. So, all New Zealanders are covered by something and for 97 percent they have multiple options."
She said people can opt for Starlink's residential light service which is $79 or the full plan of $159.
There were misconceptions the copper network was particularly reliable, she said.
"We saw in Cyclone Gabrielle services were eight times more faulty on copper than fibre, 10 times more likely in the Auckland floods to go under than fibre.
"If we get a major weather event with copper, we can have entire services washed out that can't be restored for weeks.
"Part of this is putting in perspective. If you have a satellite service with an uninterruptible power supply, you can actually be far more resilient on a service like that than you would be on the copper network."
The copper network would not be shut off overnight, she said.
"We're working through this over the next four or five years and we've been engaging with the government with stakeholders we're working to find those solutions and to make sure that people are comfortable switching."
Chorus general manager Anna Mitchell.
Photo:
Supplied
She said 80,000 households were outside of the fibre network.
"Chorus has been really strong and advocating that we need to extend fibre further, we have put in a bid to the infrastructure priorities pipeline."
Head of Telecommunications at the Commerce Commission Rachael Coyle said the draft decision on copper deregulation was based on data, legal and economic reasoning, but they understood that it didn't fully address some of the concerns rural consumers had raised.
"While we're limited by the legislation in terms of how we can address these concerns, we believe rural copper consumers deserve the same level of protection and consideration that urban consumers received during the urban copper withdrawal process.
"Technological advances mean most rural consumers can now access multiple alternative technologies that are often more reliable and affordable than copper. Rural consumers continue to move off copper and onto cheaper and better performing alternatives in large numbers."
She acknowledged technology change could be difficult for consumers.
"Not all consumers will get their first choice of technology and provider, which also happened in urban areas during copper withdrawal.
"We're making sure that our final decision considers the needs of these consumers and supports them through any possible changes."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Students hope new prisoners' newsletter 'removes some stigma'
Photo: 123RF A group of journalism students at University of Canterbury has launched a newsletter for the region's prison population. The publication Prison News will be delivered to Christchurch Men's, Christchurch Women's and Rolleston Prison every two months, featuring stories about issues relevant to inmates. The project is being run in collaboration with prison reform organisation Howard League Canterbury. Student Aimee Muller, who is also the chief editor, said Howard League previously approached students about the opportunity to do a newsletter and the project took off this year. "Our first edition just came out and we've been working really hard to write stories that are interesting for inmates together. It's quite a collaborative project which has been super exciting," she said. "In the most recent addition we had a feature on a previous inmate who now has turned his life around and is working on documentaries. "We've done pieces on current legislation that is relevant to inmates, and we've also done a couple of pieces about services that are available as well, because we think it's really important to highlight services and opportunities for people who may be not be aware of these." Muller believed it was important for people not in prison to be informed as well. "People who can pick up our newsletter I think it's interesting for them to hear more about what goes on inside prison, stories from people who have been in prison and kind of what they're doing with their life now," she said. "We hope that it removes some stigma around what inmates are perceived as through the media sometimes." Muller said about 400 copies of the newsletter's first edition were printed and distributed to the libraries of the three prisons." A PO box number has been included also so that readers could send feedback on the kind of issues they would like to see covered. "Our overall dream would be to send copies to as many prisons across New Zealand as possible."

RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
Bodies of four weasels found inside Zealandia eco-sanctuary
Zealandia rangers don't think the weasels were inside the fence for long. File photo. Photo: 123rf Four unwanted visitors have weaselled their way into Wellington eco-sanctuary Zealandia in the past week. The first dead weasel was found on Saturday afternoon, when a member of the public alerted the team to a fresh body in a DOC200 trap within the fence. Rangers cleared and reset the trap, and another weasel was found in the same trap the next day. A third weasel was discovered in another trap on Monday, and a fourth on Tuesday. These traps had been set after a tree fell onto the fence in May, and it was possible the weasels had got in during the storm, with these animals able to get through tiny holes only a thumb-width in diameter. General manager for conservation and restoration Jo Ledington said: "We don't know exactly how these weasels entered the valley but as they have not shown up on any of the detection devices deployed for the fence damage, the bodies were fresh and the traps had recently been checked and rebaited, we don't think they have been inside the fence for long." She said there was a "complex and layered biosecurity system in place, including motion-activated cameras, tracking tunnels, detection dogs, and a comprehensive trapping network". There was no evidence these weasels had killed any of the sanctuary's wildlife. "This is exactly what our conservation team is trained for. We're prepared for events like this, and our systems are doing their job. We will be continuing with our response until we are confident there are no further weasels in the sanctuary." Before this, the last time a weasel was found dead in a trap was August 2024, and before that was October 2023, and then back as far as 2019. Staff had since re-checked the fence to make sure it was secure, rebaited set traps to ensure the bait was fresh and attractive, and were regularly checking them. Work as ongoing to put in more trail cameras, and a mustelid dog was booked to do a search of the sanctuary as part of standard biosecurity measures. Zealandia was also in the process of fundraising for a new fence , with the old one nearing 25 years of age. But it said responding to events like this was expensive, and it could take months to be totally sure the sanctuary was safe. People could support the work by becoming a member or making a donation to the fence refurbishment project. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

RNZ News
17 hours ago
- RNZ News
Survey finds support for Queenstown Lakes mayor, councillors drops to 17%
Just 17 percent of respondents felt the council made decisions in the district's best interest. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd Support for the Queenstown Lakes mayor and councillors dropped to just 17 percent, down from 44 percent a year ago, according to a survey commissioned by the council. The district council's community insights survey results released on Wednesday revealed growing frustration among residents about traffic congestion, increasing tourism and infrastructure pressure. Key Research surveyed 405 people in February and March about the council's leadership, core services and communication. The lowest scoring question in the survey saw just 16 percent of respondents agree the council created long-term solutions and improvements that worked well for them. Just 17 percent of respondents felt the council made decisions in the district's best interest and just 23 percent were satisfied with core services like roading, water and waste. In a statement, the council's acting chief executive Dave Wallace said the feedback reinforced their understanding of community frustration. He said the council was trying to manage unprecedented growth. "QLDC does not hold all the levers, but we must influence and continue to plan for change. How we move forward will be key to a sustainable future," he said. The survey was carried out after the overturning of freedom camping restrictions and around a controversial decision to discharge treated wastewater into the Shotover River. Queenstown Lakes District mayor Glyn Lewers. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi In February councillors were warned that increasing tourist pressures could trigger protests and local hostility if there was not urgent intervention and investment. Residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the council's environmental efforts, with only 29 percent satisfied with efforts to reduce waste to landfill and 19 percent with preparations for climate change. Wallace said the council was trying to understand how to rebuild trust and engagement. "We have been working hard to build on these perceptions and have built our engagement through multiple forums, district-wide, including moving our workshops into the public domain," he said. The council scored well on community facilities, with 79 percent of respondents satisfied with local parks, reserves and gardens, and 85 percent happy with trails, walkways and cycleways. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.