Farmside benefits from internet spike
A Timaru-based rural broadband provider has seen a sharp rise in the number of new customers seeking connections since Moving Day on June 1.
Farmside general manager Jason Sharp said this followed a spike in recent weeks as more customers got connected during lockdown – bringing the total number of its customers to 15,000.
The majority were connected to rural wireless broadband via the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), as well as fibre or satellite connections.
‘‘Surpassing 15,000 customers cements our position as the leading rural broadband provider.
‘‘This is a testament to our awesome Timaru-based team and our dedication to serving rural New Zealanders country-wide.’’
He said the company had been helping customers navigate the strict Covid-19 related controls during alert levels 3 and 4 while an increased number of New Zealanders were looking to digital services for remote working, learning and entertainment.
‘‘While I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve, such as providing free unlimited data overnight for RBI customers and uncapped satellite access, there’s a long way to go to bridge the rural-urban divide as it’s incredibly important to us that country families have reliable access to the internet.
‘‘We hope to do that via ongoing investment and collaboration with rural communities and government stakeholders.’’
During Covid-19 alert levels 3 and 4, there was an increase in rural broadband initiative data usage of 74 per cent, and satellite data usage was up 35 per cent for Farmside’s rural customers.
During lockdown, it was able to continue connecting Kiwis remotely as well as prioritise essential work for those who required a physical installation.
The Rural Community Group (RCG) aims to build more than 450 new cellular towers from which mobile operators and wireless internet service providers can supply competitive broadband services to rural customers.