Internet millionaire Kim Dotcom has put his backing behind Orcon in a bid to bring cheaper broadband to New Zealand.
The Mega founder said he shared the internet provider's "passion'' to bring affordable, unlimited broadband to customers, and take them out of the "Third world''.
Mr Dotcom said bandwidth in New Zealand was 40 times more expensive than in Europe. That was not only costing ordinary customers more, but hurting the economy by restricting what companies can do and acting as a deterrent to international business.
Mr Dotcom and Orcon today launched a campaign to push competitors to introduce lower prices and drop data caps.
It will include a "cheeky'' television advert in a poverty campaign style, asking people to sign up to "fight the plight of third world internet in New Zealand''.
Mr Dotcom is the face of the ad, which will be aired for the first time on Sunday and will be run alongside social media and digital campaigns.
The internet entrepreneur made the announcement alongside Orcon CEO Greg McAlister in central Auckland this morning.