Celebrations .... as 100th tower is livened on Rural Connectivity Group project
Three years into a five-year programme to bring 4G mobile and wireless broadband coverage to less densely populated parts of New Zealand the Rural Connectivity Group (RCG), the infrastructure provider for the nationwide programme, has livened over 150 of the 400 contracted mobile cell sites required … with help from CSP® as the key supplier of telecommunication monopoles and lattice towers.
The RCG programme is fully funded by the government and the three mobile network operators. The partnership with Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees is unprecedented in the telecommunications industry which will eventually provide competitive services to rural residents. Along with support from the government this has allowed the RCG to install infrastructure into truly remote parts of the country with very small populations.
Already approximately 13,000 kiwis, 436 km of state highways and 34 tourist hotspots now have 4G wireless broadband and mobile services thanks to RCG and their contracted suppliers such as CSP®.
Over two thirds of the current live sites have utilised infrastructure from CSP® with one location at Gebbies Valley Christchurch, front and centre as RCG celebrated livening its 100th site, officially opened by Kris Faafoi, Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media.
The Gebbies Valley site showcases a 25m CSP® guyed mast sitting comfortably in its rural surrounds. The site now delivers essential 4G wireless broadband and mobile coverage to over one hundred homes and businesses in the area and nearly 7 kms of SH 73 which was previously without any mobile coverage.
“Livening our 100th site was a rewarding milestone for RCG, especially as the site was built under COVID Level One restrictions,” says RCG Chief Executive John Proctor. “In these uncertain times being able to rely on CSP® to supply the correct infrastructure on time and to the right location has led to the success of our build programme.”
To view a video of the 100th installationclick here.
| “We were delighted to be given this opportunity to showcase our New Zealand manufactured telecommunication monopoles and guyed masts, so as to improve connectivity throughout some of the most beautiful but rural areas of New Zealand,” says Neil Watson, Head of CSP®. “It has been very exciting to see the project reach its 100th tower installed, a significant milestone, and wonderful for CSP® to be a part of a project that is not only aiding education in rural homes and growth in rural businesses, but also in-keeping with our vision of ‘Keeping NZ Safe’. This initiative is seeing areas, which previously had little or no telecommunication service, now connected.” |
“We know the work we are doing across rural New Zealand is making a huge difference to those who live in isolated communities and need the services our infrastructure delivers - and it is even more essential as we see more and more kiwi’s working, schooling and running businesses from home,” adds John. “We have an ambitious build programme with challenging timelines and we’re committed, along with our partner organisations, such as CSP®, to meet those challenges, building and livening RCG sites as quickly as possible.”