Farmside opens up improved satellite access for remote rural communities

Rural broadband internet specialist Farmside is giving remote rural communities improved broadband coverage through an agreement with Australian telecommunications provider Optus.

General Manager Stuart Cooper said the agreement, which secures superior internet satellite access for New Zealand, would benefit up to 25,000 New Zealand homes, farms and businesses located in remote areas, where satellite is the only broadband solution.

“We are delighted to have signed this agreement, which will enable us to provide a faster satellite broadband service to Farmside customers throughout the country.”
“In those locations where satellite offers the only possible access to the internet, this improved access is a digital lifeline that will deliver increased data caps and improved speeds,” he said.

Farmside has offered customers in remote areas access to the internet by satellite for a number of years. Via this new agreement with Optus, that access will now be markedly upgraded.

Farmside will access Optus’ D2 satellite New Zealand focussed payload, which was launched in 2007. The satellite is stationed north-west of New Zealand at the 152 degrees East geostationary orbital location.

Farmside is using Gateway Teleport’s Satellite Earth Station facilities to provide services on Optus' D2 satellite. Located in Upper Hutt, Gateway Teleport was incorporated in December 2010 and is New Zealand's largest privately owned and operated Satellite Earth Station. Gateway Teleport is located in a seismically stable area, where a major bank has their disaster recovery location in close proximity.
Farmside is a subsidiary of NZX-listed New Zealand-owned and operated communications company TeamTalk Ltd, which purchased the Timaru-based company in December 2012.

Optus is part of Singtel, a company with more than 550 million mobile customers across Asia, Australia and Africa. Optus Satellite has the largest fleet of satellites servicing Australia and New Zealand, with 6 satellites currently in geostationary orbit. Optus satellites deliver TV, mobile telephone and broadband services across Australia and New Zealand.