Patterson: Rural NZ Faces a "Massive" Infrastructure Deficit
The Minister for Rural Communities, Mark Patterson, says there's a massive infrastructure deficit in rural areas.
June 1 symbolises new beginnings in the dairy industry, effectively heralding the start of a new dairy season. It’s at this time of year that around 5,000 individuals from dairy farming families, plus contract milkers and employees, shift to new farms across New Zealand.
As those on the move know all too well, Moving Day could more accurately be described as Moving Week.
There’s so much for farmers, their families and staff to organise – even beyond the movement of cattle and equipment from farm to farm. Moving Day is full of challenges without adding patchy internet into the mix.
So rural broadband provider Farmside is doing its bit, taking some of the stress out by making it easier for farmers to take their internet with them.
“We’re helping to make things as easy as possible because that’s something we can do,” says Farmside sales manager, Rosaria Weir.
Get your internet move sorted well in advance of Moving Day, she recommends.
“It’s a good idea to organise things now – talk to us about your move, the sooner the better.”
This Moving Day season, Farmside is helping farmers to either transfer their internet service or move to a new provider. For those who are not with Farmside yet, they’re offering a free, two-month connection from April 1 until June 30, 2022.
The same deal offered around Moving Day 2021 saw 1,200 new customers sign up. Another 500 customers had their relocation fee waived by Farmside – the company even covered the cost of a technician going on site to do setup if the farmers couldn’t take their modem with them on Moving Day.
Farmside says its thriving customer numbers tell a story of growth based upon solid, reliable service. Farmside counts around 21,000 rural-based customers, and a large percentage of those are dairy farmers. The company claims to now hold the title of New Zealand’s leading rural broadband provider. Weir puts this down to their Timaru-based call centre team who are dedicated to serving rural New Zealanders country wide.
“Customers say they can get hold of us quickly, and they like that we know where they are and understand their lifestyle,” says Weir. “They know they’re dealing with a Kiwi who can help them out – and they appreciate that.”
Farmside’s partnerships with Farmlands, Farm Source, Ruralco and PGG Wrightson mean customers can charge their internet to their supply account – streamlining their bill payments.
Like many Kiwis in office-based jobs, COVID-19 has meant Farmside staff have been working from home since February this year.
But a planned move back into the office will take place just before the dairying community needs their help to settle into their new surroundings.
Weir says Farmside always looks forward to relieving farmers of as much stress as possible – particularly at hectic times like Moving Day.
For more information about Farmside connectivity options, delivered in association with Vodafone NZ, please visit: www.farmside.co.nz.
