Smartphone Network reaches Taumatamaire & the Awakino Gorge

28 February 2013

The Telecom Smartphone Network reaches Taumatamaire and the Awakino Gorge

Locals and visitors to Taumatamaire, and those travelling though the iconic Awakino Gorge in the King Country, now have a choice of mobile provider after Telecom’s Smartphone Network was switched on in the area.

Telecom has invested $200k to build a mobile tower in Taumatamaire to enable those in the area to access voice, mobile broadband and text services. This is all over Telecom’s Smartphone Network - the New Zealand mobile network built specifically for smart phones. This installation will improve coverage and capacity on SH3, the North Taranaki area, and to most of the Awakino Gorge.

This new mobile coverage is part of Telecom's continued commitment to bring data and mobility to rural communities and make a world-class mobile network accessible to more New Zealanders. This commitment includes routine upgrades on the existing network to improve coverage and capacity, an ongoing programme of new coverage builds in rural areas, and installing mobile equipment on all of the mobile sites being built as part of the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative where Telecom does not already have coverage.

Roger Maxwell, The Chair of the Taranaki Regional Transport Committee, has welcomed the announcement. “It’s a positive step to improve notification and response times for those needing assistance after accidents or breakdowns,” he says. “The Taranaki Regional Transport Committee and the State Highway 3 Working Party have been advocating for improved telecommunications through this area of SH3 for some time.”

Emma Blackmore Telecom Community Relations Manager says, “It’s important New Zealand communities are able to access mobile services and this investment will ensure those who live, work and travel through this area will be able to make the most of what the Telecom Smartphone Network can offer.

Emma says the role of telecommunications in rural New Zealand has become an increasingly important service, with people becoming more reliant on their mobile phones as their primary form of connectivity.

“Fast broadband and mobile services are vitally important for the success of rural businesses, education, health providers, and in bringing rural communities together,” she says.

To find out more about the Telecom Smartphone Network and the coverage in your area, please visit www.telecom.co.nz/coverage, or visit your local store in Gill St or Devon St New Plymouth.

ENDS

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