Mobile ‘black spots' in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel could soon be receiving full coverage.

A request for proposals has been issued to extend the Rural Broadband Initiative and provide mobile coverage to black spots on state highways and in tourist areas.

Noted black spots in the Bay include State Highway 35 between Otamaroa and Tokomaru Bay, and from Raukokore to Omarumutu, and also SH2 between Te Karaka and Opotiki. In the Coromandel, one black spot on SH25A between Kopu and the Tairua River Bridge will be improved.

While tourist locations in the Bay with black spots include Adrenalin Forest at the TECT All Terrain Park, Kaingaroa Forest, Lake Tarawera, Maraehako Bay Retreat, Rangitaiki, Te Kaha, Te Wairoa (Buried Village), Waitangi in Rotorua, and Whanarua Bay.

Tourist locations in the Coromandel include the Coromandel Coastal Walkway, Fletchers Bay, Papa Aroha, Port Charles, and the Waitawheta Track.

Communications Minister Amy Adams says improved broadband and mobile services for rural New Zealand will grow regional economies and boost tourism in key destinations.

'Around 293,000 rural New Zealanders are accessing better broadband under the first phase of our RBI programme. This next stage sees an investment of $150 million to extend coverage to even more New Zealanders,” says Amy.

'My aim is to provide high-speed broadband to the greatest number of under-served rural New Zealanders within the funding available, and give regional communities access to high-speed broadband. We also want to improve the reach of mobile services to support safety on State Highways and enhance the visitor experience for tourists.”

There are more than 200 mobile black spots noted in the RFP for potential inclusion but the minister notes it is important to understand not all those locations will get coverage and others not listed could also end up with increased coverage.

The RFP is open to any telecommunications technology able to meet a set of user outcomes. For the Mobile Black Spot Fund there's a minimum requirement to provide 3G voice services, with 4G preferred in tourist areas. The RBI2 and MBSF programmes will deliver open access to government funded infrastructure (towers, cabinets), with exemptions from some obligations for regional operators.

'We've set an ambitious goal of ensuring that by 2025, 99 per cent of New Zealanders will have access to broadband peak speeds of at least 50Mbps, and everyone will have at least 10Mbps,” says Amy.

'We're interested in seeing how proposals for delivering coverage under the RBI2 and MBSF programmes show an upgrade path in line with this vision.”

It's expected the first contracts will be awarded by June 2017.

Prospective bidders can find the RFP on the GETS website. The RFP closes on February 2, 2017.