Central Hawke's Bay (CHB) power lines company Centralines is planning a cellphone and broadband internet service to coastal CHB areas before April next year.
Chairman of the community-owned business, James Aitken, said the company had a goal of a 10mbps speed to 98 per cent of the population.
"I hasten to add we may not be able to do that economically but we thought if we did not set a goal like that then we may be restricting ourselves," Mr Aitken said. "The speed is not so much an issue as getting into some of these remote little valleys."
Centralines had hoped to set up a system using non-Chorus connection cabinets to the Chorus network "but the cost is prohibitive".
"The Chinese used their own technology to last year hook up 300 million people at speeds in excess of 10mbps and it's working well," Mr Aitken said.
Centralines was planning its own microwave system, connecting to Centralines fibre in Waipukurau.
"Along that fibre is the FX network and then - look out world."
He said there had been a good amount of goodwill from national-network owner Chorus.
"They're saying, we can't make it pay but if you can, tell us what you want us to do. If you crazy country hicks want to do something, we sure as hell don't want to do anything, [but] we'll help."
Chorus chief executive Mark Ratcliffe told Hawke's Bay Today his company budgeted for an average cost of $3000 per residence for ultra-fast broadband connections throughout New Zealand but in areas such as Central Hawke's Bay the price would be much higher, so there was no service.
"Microwave is not quite as quick as fibre but it is as quick as what they are currently getting in urban areas," Mr Aitken said.
"We want to be up and going by March 31 next year. It is not a huge or complicated build. We are not using anything unless it is proven technology."
Also on the drawing board are mini cellphone towers. "They have a range of about 6-8 km and can only handle 30-40 calls at a time but if there are only 5 or 6 people living there we suspect they won't be over-used. If they are we'll just stick another one in there."
He said the project was still being costed and retail partners identified.
"We're not kidding ourselves that everyone is going to be lining up for 1000 potential consumers. We know some won't be bothered but we know two or three will be very interested. What we are looking for from them is the kind of package that country people want."
He said a microwave network would serve the community well for the next 10 years or until widespread fibre distribution became a cheaper option.
"We see it as something that we want to do as a community investment."