Entry-Level Service With Entry-Level Price Tag

Bcl Extend 'Lite' Offers Entry-Level Service With Entry-Level Price Tag

Wireless broadband access for the rural community could be a whole lot cheaper from the middle of April, following the launch of BCL's Extend 'Lite' at the TUANZ Rural Broadband Symposium in Timaru today.

Extend 'Lite' delivers wireless broadband with fixed line capability to rural customers outside the reach of DSL, at prices similar to those available to urban Internet users (excluding equipment costs).

The level of savings will be driven by price plans offered by BCL's retail service providers.

The 'Lite' services respond to feedback from BCL's retail service providers, and are aimed at offering rural and provincial customers the benefits of wireless broadband via an entry-level service with an entry-level price tag.

Extend 'Lite' offers a choice of three standard monthly data caps (1GB, 3GB and 5GB) and lower fixed rates, plus performance guarantees and a service level agreement commensurate with the entry-level offering.

"Extend 'Lite' is an entry-level package designed to introduce rural users to the benefits of broadband at home and in their business," says BCL's managing director Geoff Hunt.

"It means the farming community can now access those Internet services the rest of us take for granted, at similar prices: emailing friends and family overseas, doing online banking, booking trips and helping kids research school projects.

"We expect new customers who embrace the Extend 'Lite' broadband experience will eventually want more, and that's where BCL's existing Extend services come in," says Hunt.

Hunt says that BCL expects that business users and heavy residential users will continue to take advantage of the existing Extend service, which remains unchanged.

BCL also launched its new Extend 1000 service today - a service that will offer 1000 kbps down and 340 kbps up.

The Extend 1000 service will offer rural customers similar Internet speeds to those available on DSL in urban areas, and is based on the same service specification as Extend.

All classes of Extend wireless broadband services are available from BCL Extend retailers, including;

- BayCity Farmside
- ICONZ
- NatCom
- Telecom Xtra
- Inspire
- Compass
- NetSmart
- NetSpeed

ENDS

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