fbpx
Print this page
Thursday, 21 October 2021 10:55

Getting broadband to everyone

Written by  Mike Smith
WISPA chair Mike Smith. WISPA chair Mike Smith.

OPINION: Recent episodes of Fair Go have highlighted the difficulties a number of rural people have in getting access to quality, reliable broadband and how tough this makes their lives.

Businesses can't operate without a solid connection, kids can't be educated from home when required, and life is just harder for everyone.

As chair of WISPA-NZ, which represents specialist internet providers who look after many rural users, I understand why having access to the Internet is now a vital part of everyday life.

The 37 companies that make up our group are all specialists in using wireless internet technology to get to the places phone cable and fibre don't reach.

We already have more than 75,000 New Zealanders connected to the Internet through the huge range of towers built across rural Aotearoa. Our members know who they can reach and how to get a signal to people using some very sophisticated technology.

There's also been a major push from the Government to partner with our members to get fast broadband to everyone via the Rural Broadband (RBI). That's helped to fund towers to extend signals into some of the farthest spots you can imagine.

So, if people have no, or very limited internet connections, they shold get in contact with their local wireless internet service providers (or WISP) to see what can be done. Our members have a huge amount of experience of getting into the nooks and crannies of New Zealand and if we can help in any way, we would love to see what we could do.

For a list of all New Zealand's WISPs go to: https://www.wispa.nz/wispa-nz-members/.

Mike Smith, the chair of the Wieless Internet Service Providers Association of New Zealand (WISPA-NZ).

More like this

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…