US networking giant Cisco has thrown its weight behind the New Zealand Regional Fibre Group, an alliance of power, line and fibre companies assembled at Vector’s initiative to counter criticism that a regional fibre model could become technologically fragmented.

Vodafone’s broadband co-investment proposal has drawn a muted reaction from the minister, and potential FibreCo club-mates Vector and Telecom. Vector heads enthusiastically in the other direction, expanding its Regional Fibre Group initiative.

[UPDATE: at Telecom's midday press conference on its own submission, chief executive Paul Reynolds responded to the RFC's criticism that it had not specified any plans for connecting business. Dr Reynolds said most busineses can already get fibre on request with a few weeks. Chorus boss Mark Ratcliffe added that in rural areas, business tend to be clustered in the same areas as schools, which would help reach.