Wireless Providers Getting Comms To Communities

Small wireless internet providers are currently the only communication lifeline for some people in the flood-hit areas of the North Island.

Mike Smith, Chairman of the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA), says he couldn’t be prouder of how the group’s members are helping each other and getting communities connected.

“In the weekend we had several teams working together. There was Primo from Taranaki led by Matt Harrison driving across to Hawke’s Bay who worked with Ray Taylor to get Gecko Broadband up and running in Napier. Lachlan Chapman from AoNet travelled to communities to set up connections to give free Wi-Fi to allow the community to contact their loved ones, while Jesse Archer from Full Flavour broadband in Tauranga filled a Cessna with food and equipment to get Wairoa reconnected on Saturday.

“On the East Coast, Gisborne area, Ronald Bryce and the Gisborne.Net team kept their region connected - where power was available - with Wi-Fi calling, messenger apps and eftpos.

“With all the fibre and comms to Gisborne down for most of the past week, this was a key lifeline for those there connected by Gisborne Net. A lot of the major retailers such as supermarkets just had cash-only facilities, but those connected to the Gisborne Net network could offer eftpos, with huge lines at those retailers until fibre was restored.”

Mike Smith says in other areas WISPA’s members have been working hard to restore mains-powered sites and repair damaged equipment.

“It’s been an amazing response from our members, who worked right through the weekend to do as much as they could.”

He says with fibre being knocked out and in some cases still not restored, the wireless networks have been vital lifelines for many communities.

“Primo’s Matt Harrison and Sam Adlam drove for 14 hours to get from Napier to Wairoa to help get the council’s water and treatment plants online. And they dropped off fuel to Anaru Cooper in Wairoa who’s an installer with AoNet Broadband. Anaru had fitted his ute with a satellite uplink and Wi-Fi access point and was driving around Wairoa giving people broadband access for free.

“They are just an ingenious bunch of clever buggers who go the extra mile for people.

“And they have that local knowledge that can’t be beat. When the Primo guys arrived in town with some sacks of donated dog food, Anaru knew just the people who could do with it.”

Smith, who represents more than 30 wireless regional providers, says the devastating floods have shown New Zealand has to build in more resilience into its infrastructure.

“Just like we can’t have one road going in and out of places, we need multiple lines of communications.

“Cyclone Gabrielle has shown us the existing infrastructure is too vulnerable at the moment.”

He says he has been in awe of the co-operation, and the sheer drive of people in all areas, who are getting things up and­ running.

“I am just so proud of our members, their teams and families, and how other New Zealanders have risen to the challenge.”

© Scoop Media