Wireless broadband arrives in Southbridge

Wireless broadband arrives in Southbridge

Media Release
05 February 2013

Mobile coverage and broadband options just got better for some residents in the Canterbury Plains as Vodafone has recently switched on a newly built cell site at Southbridge, under the Governments Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI).

A 30 metre monopole tower provides service to over 780 households in the area. The service, with urban comparable pricing, delivers not only mobile coverage, but wireless broadband via a high performance modem, adding a WiFi network into the home. Phone calls can also be made through this service by plugging an existing landline phone directly into the modem, removing the need for a landline connection. Customers can port their existing landline number to this new service.

There are six new RBI sites in the area – along with Southbridge, a new tower was switched on last month in Springfield. Glentunnel, Bankside, West Melton and Castle Hill will also be built as part of the programme. Vodafone confirms six existing cell sites in the area have already been upgraded to deliver the wireless broadband service . Four more sites at Leeston, Darfield, Springfield West and Round Top will also be upgraded before 2015.
Vodafone’s Business Development Manager Jake Vargo says the new cell site brings greater options to the community, with households and businesses now having choice in broadband service.
“Switching to wireless broadband can provide a consistent and reliable service to residents It also offers the rural community the opportunity to increase production and monitoring through machine to machine automation,” he said.
An additional benefit of RBI for rural communities is the extension of mobile coverage to include 4,500km of rural New Zealand roads, which until now have been without.
“This is a massive benefit for rural communities in dealing with emergencies, transport logistics, road safety and other real life circumstances that have been hampered by limited coverage,” said Vargo.
Under the five year RBI plan, Vodafone will upgrade 387 existing cell towers and build a further 154 new towers in rural areas all over New Zealand. The government is funding the civil construction costs of these new sites which are designed to accommodate Vodafone equipment and that of other mobile and wireless operators. 26 new sites have been built so far, and an additional 131 have been upgraded.

Customers can find out if this service will be available at their address by checking online at
www.vodafone.co.nz/rural-broadband.

More imagery of example monopole towers is available if required, along with a proposed RBI coverage map of the wider area and a schematic diagram of how wireless broadband works.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

The six upgraded sites in Selwyn are Tai Tapu, Rolleston, West Melton, Burnham, Lincoln University and Burnham Military Camp.

Wireless Broadband will be installed by a Vodafone arranged technician, and installation fees will apply. In the unlikely event your installer determines you may not receive a good experience, the installation will not proceed and you will not be charged.

Vodafone Wireless Broadband Plans and Pricing

Vodafone Wireless Broadband Calling plans
Wireless Broadband and Calling plans come with a standard per minute calling plan, which includes unlimited local calling and great rates to national and international landlines and mobiles.
National calls are 26c per minute, capped at $2.50 per call (for up to 2 hours).

Calls to New Zealand mobiles are 36c per minute.

A great range of calling add-ons are available, including calls to NZ landlines for $20 a month.
For a full list of add-ons and international rates as well as popular phone line features such as voicemail, visit vodafone.co.nz/rural-broadband.

Standard installation charges for Wireless Broadband

Please see www.vodafone.co.nz for more information and for a full list of our terms and conditions.

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