Paul Brislen: NZ Telecommunications Forum CEO on the call from rural New Zealand for better mobile coverage and connectivity

Connectivity is top of mind for many South Island voters.   South Island businesses are banding together to push their priorities onto the election agenda, using a major new conference to pressure political leaders on growth, infrastructure and workforce issues.  And for the average person, mobile coverage and connectivity is a big issue – with dropouts and lacking 4G/5G coverage causing problems.  NZ Telecommunications Forum CEO Paul Brislen told Kerre Woodham that telco companies are reliant on the government to co-fund towers, as there’s no commercial reason to put towers in places only a handful of people will use them every once in a while.   He says it’s very much a joint venture, and he doesn’t recall anything in the Budget about more funding – but it’s an election year so that may change.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.