New RBI tower boosts broadband options for Karikari

Media Release
6 November, 2013

New RBI tower boosts broadband options and mobile coverage for Karikari

Vodafone has today switched on its newly built cell site at Karikari – part of the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) – providing improved mobile coverage and broadband options for residents and visitors to the area.

The 30 metre monopole tower will provide mobile coverage and wireless broadband, for the first time, to over 1,050 households in the Karikari area.

Three new towers are planned for the Far North District over the next three years, including Taupo Bay, Houhora Central and Taheke West, jointly providing mobile coverage and wireless broadband for over 2,150 homes and businesses. Vodafone will also upgrade 17 more of its existing sites around the Far North District. Sites at Haruru Falls, Kawakawa East, Kerikeri Centre, Opua, Kawakawa, Kerikeri and Russell have already been upgraded.

Vodafone’s Northland Business Development Manager, Clark Hamilton, says there’s no question that access to high-speed broadband makes a significant difference to the lives of rural New Zealanders.
“The faster, 21MB wireless broadband modem introduced earlier this year, allows customers to experience speeds in excess of some city dwellers, and provides a consistent and reliable service – far superior to dial-up speeds.
“Having high-speed broadband not only enables the use of farming technology and agri-innovation, but employment and study options for rural youth. It also gives farmers the opportunity to explore machine-to-machine technology, used to track fertilizer spreading, rainfall, and frost temperatures, preventing waste and loss.”
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.
Clark adds: “This is a massive benefit for remote areas like the Far North in dealing with emergencies, transport logistics, road safety and other real life circumstances previously hampered by limited coverage.”
Vodafone has ploughed ahead of the Government’s RBI targets, completing the construction of 61 new sites, and upgrades to 201, meaning new services for over 125,000 addresses in rural New Zealand. Just past the half way point of the 5 year programme the company has already secured the necessary agreements and consents for 65% of new sites.

Under the five year RBI plan, Vodafone will fund the upgrade of 387 existing cell towers and build a further 154 new towers in rural areas all over New Zealand to achieve government community coverage targets. The government is funding the civil construction costs of the new sites which are designed to accommodate Vodafone equipment and that of other mobile and wireless operators.

The addition of mobile and broadband coverage at Karikari is another enhancement to the Vodafone SuperNet, New Zealand's superior network for landline, mobile, broadband and TV.

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

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Imagery of RBI towers is available, along with a schematic diagram of how wireless broadband works.

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

Need additional data?
Customers can purchase an additional 10GB of data for $20.

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.

© Scoop Media