A national fibre-to-the-home network would remain a target, but be deferred for a defined period. Instead the focus might be on an interim consumer boost with a more rapid rollout of VDSL2, with its speeds of up to 50Mbps, capitalising on completion of Telecom's fibre-to-the-node programme.

After all, this was originally a politically-driven initiative to drive better broadband for New Zealanders -- it just never had time to play out. New Zealand would then have time to develop demand drivers for fibre, and address bottlenecks in the delivery of fibre-dependent content and services.

To change course now wouldn't be easy: but neither are the economic circumstances confronting New Zealand. Is it time for a rethink?