Telstra (ASX:TLS) has encountered stronger than expected interest in New Zealand for SuperClubsPLUS, a protected online social network for kids.
Telstra's New Zealand subsidiary, TelstraClear, has revealed that 32 New Zealand schools had joined the project in recent weeks.
A further 83 schools have expressed an interest in introducing the program, and 23 have already signed on as part of a pilot study TelstraClear helped to conduct earlier this year.
TelstraClear is providing funding and support for the introduction of SuperClubsPLUS to New Zealand schools and parents.
SuperClubsPLUS aims to teach safe social networking and internet usage behaviours to younger children.
The project was first developed in the UK by Martyn Wild. Telstra helped fund an introduction to Australia in 2008.
As part of TelstraClear's support for the New Zealand rollout, the company is paying the subscription fees of schools that sign up to SuperClubsPLUS for 2011.
An ad introducing the service to parents has also been shown on New Zealand television.
SuperClubsPLUS' other sponsors include ACMA, LaTrobe University and the Victorian state government.