Kiwi rural internet provider Wireless Nation is bringing free Rugby World Cup streaming to the Chatham Islands.
The world cup is causing frustration and anxiety throughout New Zealand with many people worried their internet speeds
won’t allow them to stream the online-only tournament coverage.
For people in rural parts of New Zealand, the anxiety is even more justified with slower internet speeds, on average,
than cities.
In the Chatham Islands, the internet speeds residents have is too slow to allow them to stream the games at all, so
Wireless Nation has stepped up to deliver New Zealand’s national game to the rugby-mad island.
“We know how passionate Chatham Islanders are about their rugby, so we couldn’t let them go without the biggest event of
the rugby calendar,” Wireless Nation marketing manager Miro Sudzum says.
“We specialise in providing internet to rural New Zealand and didn’t want to the Chathams to feel forgotten.
“We’ve teamed up with Optus to invest more than $15,000 together for a satellite and system capable of delivering a
dedicated stream so that all the games can be viewed live on the island.”
The games will be played for free in the Norman Kirk Memorial Reserve hall, known as “The Den”.
All proceeds made from drinks and food sold during the games will go towards funding a new playground for 0-13 year-olds
on the island.
“We were over-the-moon when Wireless Nation told us about its generous contribution to ensuring we can watch all of the
All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup matches,” The Den’s chairperson and manager, Phillipa Morrison, says.
“Like the rest of New Zealand, we live and breathe rugby here, and there has been some serious anxiety from Chatham
Islands residents as to whether we’d even be able to watch the games.
“It’s fair to say people here have been extremely worried because our internet speeds simply won’t usually allow for
streaming.
“Instead, we now have a win-win outcome where everyone on the island can watch the games and our young children will
benefit by having a new playground paid for, in part, with the proceeds made during the games.”