NZTech Submission: Supporting Telecommunications Infrastructure for New Zealand’s Growing Tech Sector

Submission by NZTech to the Ministry for the Environment

NZTech has submitted recommendations on the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities (NESTF), expressing general support whilst highlighting critical infrastructure needs for New Zealand’s evolving technology landscape.

Key Support Areas

NZTech endorses the proposed NESTF updates, recognising they will enable essential telecommunications sector improvements including:

• Network upgrades to meet growing demand
• Enhanced resilience and reliability of telecommunications infrastructure
• Better connectivity access for New Zealand’s tech sector and the communities it serves

Critical Infrastructure Challenges

Whilst supporting the overall direction, NZTech emphasises that regulatory frameworks must evolve alongside technological advancement and urban development. The submission identifies a key concern around telecommunications pole height restrictions, which creates significant challenges for:

• Mobile signal coverage in areas with increasing building heights
• Technology applications that require connectivity for mobile users
• Business and community communication needs in evolving urban environments

The Bigger Picture

As New Zealand’s largest technology industry body representing over 2,500 members who employ 10 per cent of the workforce, NZTech understands the critical role telecommunications infrastructure plays in supporting the tech sector’s continued growth. The sector contributes approximately $22 billion to GDP and represents New Zealand’s third-largest export industry, with software exports alone growing at over 20 per cent annually.

Moving Forward

NZTech’s submission reinforces a fundamental principle: as technology continues to evolve, so must the infrastructure that supports it. The organisation supports the detailed technical recommendations provided by the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum whilst advocating for regulatory flexibility that enables infrastructure to keep pace with technological and urban development.

The submission demonstrates NZTech’s commitment to ensuring New Zealand maintains the robust telecommunications infrastructure necessary to support our growing digital economy and the communities that depend on it.