Local hero PrimoWireless joins major telco players by winning rural broadband contract
PrimoWireless welcomes yesterday’s announcement by Prime Minister Bill English, Communications Minister Simon Bridges
and Crown Fibre Holdings of the investment that the Government is making in improving rural broadband and mobile phone
coverage for rural and remote New Zealanders.
Telecommunications Minister Simon Bridges announced PrimoWireless as the Wireless Internet Service Provider for
Taranaki, making it responsible for connecting homes, farms and businesses over a broad area that includes remote and
difficult terrain.
This appointment is part of a $150 million funding package for telco companies to partner with the Government through
Crown Fibre Holdings Ltd to bring better broadband and mobile services to an increased number of under-served rural
areas, businesses, homes and tourists in New Zealand.
Through the initiative, PrimoWireless has successfully negotiated with Crown Fibre Holdings for funding to develop and
grow Taranaki’s rural broadband network, this for the first time gives PrimoWireless and other wireless ISP’s the
official recognition that the broadband they provide is an excellent alternative to traditional copper and fibre based
services.
MD of PrimoWireless – Matthew Harrison said, “Many of New Zealand’s wireless ISP’s including PrimoWireless have
traditionally flown under the radar of the telco sector, we are well known locally, but less so nationally - so it’s
incredibly satisfying to see that so many WISPs have been entrusted with parts of the government’s latest RBI2
initiative.”
PrimoWireless was established in 2006 to provide wireless broadband services to remote Taranaki communities. Initially
PrimoWireless was developed as a solution to help rural Taranaki people and businesses who struggled to get access to
fast broadband services. Knowing that wireless is the fastest broadband technology available to the rural community, IT
specialist and managing director Matthew Harrison, set about building PrimoWireless' network from the ground up. As a
result, PrimoWireless' customers are now enjoying the full benefits of connecting to Taranaki's only locally owned and
operated Ultrafast wireless network.
PrimoWireless provides both wireless and ultrafast broadband services (UFB) to thousands of business and rural customers
in and around the Taranaki region. The grant funding investment by the government and substantial additional investment
from PrimoWireless will allow us to upgrade our existing network and build new sites that will expand broadband coverage
to even more rural and remote internet users who are desperately in need of modern broadband connectivity.
The first radio site as part of PrimoWireless’ expanded network for rural Taranaki is expected to be installed later
next month and the entire project is expected to be completed by mid-2020.
ENDS