PM sends good luck to All Blacks via Woosh

10 October 2003

PM sends good luck to All Blacks via Woosh

A good luck message to the All Blacks at their Rugby World Cup camp in Melbourne was the first official high-speed email sent by the Prime Minister at the launch of the country’s first regional broadband cell site in Southland* today.

The message, written by the senior students of Tuatapere Community College, read:

To Reuben Thorne and the Men in Black

We'll be cheering you on whenever you play
Kamate Kamate, get carried away
Our very best wishes for a successful outcome
We expect you to be the World's Number One

All Blacks Communications Officer, Matt McIlraith, said the All Blacks would be having their first training session in Australia at the time the email was sent, so would be unable to respond immediately.

“However, Reuben and the boys will reply later in the day.”

Woosh Wireless CEO Bob Smith said: “Woosh email is as fast as this All Black team’s backline! We are proud and pleased to get behind our All Blacks and show them our support as they head into the World Cup.”

ENDS

* The Southland initiative is part of Project PROBE, a Government initiative using broadband technology to promote economic, social and education development in regional New Zealand.

It will provide high speed Internet access to 95 percent of Southland - traditionally one of New Zealand’s most remote communities. It is a joint partnership between the Government and Venture Southland, the region’s economic agency supported by all of Southland’s local authorities.

For locals it will mean a state of the art Internet service, with files that have taken up to several hours to download previously now being done in minutes or seconds.

The service in Southland has been installed by New Zealand-owned Woosh Wireless (previously Walker Wireless) and supported by Vodafone.

The Government plans to bring high-speed Internet access to regions throughout New Zealand by the end of 2004.

Access to broadband coverage will have significant educational benefits as it is rolled out to schools, and commercial and competitive advantages for business.

ENDS

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