TTK
17/10/2014 12:51
GENERAL
REL: 1251 HRS TeamTalk Limited
GENERAL: TTK: First households on Chathams sign up for faster internet
MEDIA STATEMENT
17 October, 2014
First households on Chatham Islands sign up for faster Internet
A significant milestone in the plan to deliver faster internet to more New
Zealanders - even in the most remote parts of the country.
The first Chatham Islands households are being signed-up this week, as the
project to provide the whole community with better, fair-priced, fixed (DSL)
and wireless broadband takes a big step forward.
"Islanders have been waiting for their turn. We're pleased it has finally
arrived," says TeamTalk Managing Director David Ware.
The Government is providing $2.48m of funding to improve telecommunications
to the Islands as part of its Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), signing a
contract with TeamTalk and its wholly owned subsidiary, Farmside, in April.
Already, three of five service areas are live. The last two, Owenga Township
and Pitt Island, are expected to be online in about a month.
Two of the three schools on the Islands, the hotel and the Council offices
are all online using the new services and the first new user, Te One School
(the largest on the Chathams), went live in early September.
"We've learned from our experience providing reliable telecommunications to
other remote areas that this stuff has to be built tough, and it has to be
durable. That's why we've been progressively adding some of the bigger users
over the past month or so.
"The feedback we're getting is good, and it's pleasing to be able to start
offering services to people in their private homes," Mr Ware says.
Chatham Islanders who want to sign-up for faster broadband can contact
Farmside by calling 0800 32 76 74 or email [email protected]
Ends
Contact: David Ware
Phone: 0800 101-900
End CA:00256547 For:TTK Type:GENERAL Time:2014-10-17 12:51:48
