Boost To Broadband Coverage In Manawatu-Wanganui

Telecom Gives Big Boost To Broadband Coverage In The Manawatu-Wanganui

News today that Telecom has won the Project PROBE tender for the Manawatu-Wanganui region will help Telecom bring broadband coverage to 94% of the community.

Telecom’s Central Regional Manager Glenys Robinson says 78% of the region is covered by Telecom’s DSL based JetStream at the moment.

“That will increase to 84% with the roll-out of the BCL wireless network, and now Telecom has been selected by Project PROBE to supply broadband to the Manawatu-Wanganui area, we can further increase our already planned coverage.

“Broadband opens up great opportunities for businesses, education, farming and families,” Glenys Robinson said.

“Already many businesses are benefiting from the competitive advantage of broadband. For example there’s a local firm of chartered accountants and business advisors that uses Telecom’s highspeed internet service to virtually link its three offices in Wanganui, Taumaranui and Ohakune.

“Advisors can work on any client’s file in any of the company’s offices at any time of the day or night and have cut back significantly on costs like travel, administration costs of running three LANs and staff costs.

“The potential use for schools is also huge. High schools in a number of regions in New Zealand are linking up for lessons using video-conferencing. Students can study subjects their own school doesn’t offer and teachers who may otherwise leave for the cities can remain in rural areas.

“With broadband there’s no need to dial-up each time you want to use the internet – it’s ready to go when your PC is on. Information is downloaded up to fifty times faster than a regular dial-up connection and you can use the phone and the Internet at the same time on one phone line.

“For dairy farmers we are working with Fonterra to deliver their suppliers high quality, fast internet services that can help avoid electrical interference. The service will give farmers a secure link to the company and its information, and the future could bring e-farming applications such as the remote measurement of milk production and monitoring of farm systems. Not too far from now farmers may be using their Telecom 027 phone to text their milk vats to check volumes and temperatures.

“Telecom has made some heavy investment in mobile coverage in the Manawatu-Wanganui region. We’ve built new 027 cell sites at Ohakea, Hihitahi, Taihape and Oroua Downs and installed a 2nd carrier in Palmerston North to handle extra capacity in the network. We also have plans for Waitarere Beach and Linton.

“In the Manawatu and metropolitan Wanganui all major telephone exchanges are now broadband enabled and there are plans to roll that out further to include Ashurst, Foxton Beach, Ohakea, Palmerston North Airport, Raetihi, Ohakune, Taihape, Hunterville and Waiouru.

“Telecom has invested almost $148 million in infrastructure and community support in the Manawatu-Wanganui area over the past five years. We’re committed to helping improve the lifestyle of everyone in the area through the benefits broadband can offer. Telecom is here for the long haul and to provide the best quality services we can,” Glenys Robinson said.

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