Farmside Doubles Rural Broadband Speeds

Farmside Doubles Rural Broadband Speeds

Free upgrade gives rural New Zealanders what they want - a dedicated and affordable high-speed Internet connection for increased productivity

Visit us at Fieldays from 10-13 June at Stand PF4

Media release, 9 June 2009, Christchurch, New Zealand:  In an aggressive move New Zealand-wide satellite broadband wholesaler BayCity Communications has announced that its retail division Farmside will be doubling the download speeds on all of its satellite based Rocket Broadband plans permanently from July. At the same time, it will remove the speed cap on its top plan enabling rural New Zealanders to connect to the Internet at speeds up to 4Mbps. The upgrade will be automatic and free for all new and existing Rocket Broadband customers. Farmside will be promoting Rocket Broadband at Fieldays from 10-13 June.

BayCity and Farmside’s managing director, Tony Baird, today announced the unleashing of its Rocket Broadband Pioneer plan and the doubling of all other satellite-based Rocket Broadband plans.  The announcement is exactly one year on from the launch of this popular rural broadband service that has made high-speed broadband accessible and affordable for every resident in New Zealand, regardless of where they live.

By increasing the download speed on its entry level plan, the company has raised the benchmark on rural broadband to 512Kbps whilst enabling rural New Zealanders to enjoy download speeds of up to 4Mbps on its top plan.  In many rural areas, this speed is not available through any other broadband provider.  The announcement is a milestone for rural New Zealanders, particularly when considering the Government has committed over $1.5 billion to urban fibre roll out, but only $48 million to rural broadband.

Baird says that Rocket Broadband has been hugely successful in the last year in spite of the economic downturn.  Growth in subscriber numbers has directly resulted in the ability for BayCity to double speeds on all plans through efficiencies in how the company allocates and utilises its satellite network.

“It’s vital that we all have access to fast Internet – country and city residents alike,” says Baird. “By doubling speeds we are setting a new benchmark for rural broadband. We are 100% committed to providing the best possible broadband service for rural New Zealanders. By offering speeds comparable to our better-served urban cousins, Rocket Broadband can enable farmers, rural businesses and residents to meet the rising demands of Internet including on-line video, large file sizes / emails and new business applications.”

The monthly charges for Rocket Broadband start from just $49.95 +GST for the Endeavour plan (up to 512Kbps download and 500MB monthly data cap), to $199.95 +GST for the top Pioneer plan (up to 4Mbps download and 5GB monthly data cap), plus satellite installation of $298.90 +GST.  Speed increases will be introduced on a plan by plan basis during July, and customers will be contacted directly when this happens.

Rocket Broadband is available through Farmside, the retail division of BayCity. Customers wishing to sign up for Rocket Broadband can visit www.farmside.co.nz, or call 0800 327674.

About BayCity Communications

BayCity Communications delivers a range of rural communications products including satellite-based communication products throughout New Zealand, including rural broadband, Voice over IP and mobile solutions.  Services are available directly through Farmside, the company’s retail arm, and on a wholesale basis to corporate resellers.

BayCity Communications has exclusive access to the IPSTAR communications satellite in New Zealand and is contracted to provide New Zealand service providers with a range of wholesale bandwidth.  The IPSTAR satellite was launched in 2006 and is the largest two-way broadband communications satellite of its kind.

About Farmside (a division BayCity Communications)

New Zealand’s leading rural broadband access provider, Farmside provides satellite based broadband solutions covering 100% of rural and provincial New Zealand.  Based in Timaru, Farmside is a division of BayCity Communications.

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