Rural businesses, individuals and communities are being urged to act now if they want 21st century internet in their towns and provinces on the back of a $75 million commitment from the Government to support rural broadband.

By PULLAR-STRECKER Tom THE GOVERNMENT'S May 2006 reforms of the telecommunications industry were once the solution to all New Zealand's broadband problems.

The collapse of Vodafone's international cellphone roaming service in Australia for the past week needs to be taken more seriously, the Telecommunications' Users Association says.

Two smaller companies have won the best telecommunications carrier categories in the TUANZ Innovation Awards, ending domination by Telecom, TelstraClear and Vodafone.

By VAUGHAN, Gareth HOT ON the heels of forcing Telecom to open its fixed-line network to rivals and split into three operating companies, the Government is being lobbied to take the lead in developing a multibillion-dollar national fibre optic network.