Positive signals but challenges remain
PGG Wrightson (PGW) chief executive Stephen Guerin says that while there are positive signals within the market, there are also challenges.
PGG Wrightson trade account holders can now pay for broadband via their PGG monthly trade account. This is one effect of a deal between PGG and internet service provider Wireless Nation.
The account holders are also offered specials on their rural broadband and VoIP phone plans.
Wireless Nation’s rural internet service are marketed by PGG Wrightson retail stores and onfarm technical representatives.
“[We’ve extended] our agreement with PGG Wrightson to provide all their trade account holders with access to our high-speed rural broadband solutions,” says technical director Tom Linn. “A fast and reliable internet connection is becoming critical for many farmers and Wireless Nation provides a cost-effective solution no matter where they are in New Zealand.
“We are seeing increasing demand from farmers requiring fast, reliable internet to run their business,” says Shannon Galloway, GM marketing, PGG Wrightson. “Wireless Nation is an innovative company that delivers a great customer experience.”
Wireless Nation says it is determined to bridge the digital divide and provide broadband to even the most far-flung parts of New Zealand. It offers RBI (fixed wireless), satellite broadband and VoIP (phone services over the internet).
The company says its satellite network uses the latest technology and the Optus Satellite, which has “hot” signal strength over New Zealand, is not prone to rain fade and is available “pretty much everywhere in the country”.
It recently doubled its satellite network speeds to a download speed of up to 10Mbps. This is said to be much faster than competing satellite networks and to be comparable to standard city broadband. This gives faster web browsing and downloading of email attachments and allows video streaming in higher quality. The extra speed comes at no extra cost.
Wireless Nation quotes a PGG Wrightson customer, Terence Galuszka, of Wainuioru, as saying “The satellite connection is good and latency is low which has enabled our business to use certain desktop applications we haven’t been able to before.
“The PGG Wrightson deal has helped with the extra data bundle and the carryover data is a life saver.”
Wireless Nation has installers throughout the country.
Tel. 0800 101 143
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.