Chairman of Connect Tararua standing at a high point on his farm in Kumeroa, trying to get cell phone reception.
Lack of cellphone reception and internet access in our towns and rural areas has resulted in a unique project that could put Tararua District on the map nationally.
Frustrated by the low level of access to these core infrastructure services led to the determination of locals in small pockets of the district to work together to create solutions.
The Northern Group, chaired by Dannevirke's Jim Crispin began work in the Weber area, while Connect Kumeroa chaired by Tim Poulton were given the mandate to find solutions to improve connectivity for their community.
Over the years, many residents in the Tararua District have attempted to improve connectivity in their areas.
All have a similar goal - to improve cell phone and internet connectivity for the greater good.
Launched a few weeks ago, with the full support of the mayor and councillors, Connect Tararua has formed a governance team with Mel Poulton as team leader.
"The benefits of connectivity are not just about being able to reliably make calls or send emails wherever we are, it's about building a platform across the Tararua district to enable everyone the opportunity to embrace new technology, which will change the way we live, work and play," Mel Poulton said.
"Be it virtual health clinics, where we get the chance of a doctor's visit without having to leave home, or our district's children actually being able to complete homework or university projects online at home, the benefits will be significant."
Be it virtual health clinics, where we get the chance of a doctor's visit without having to leave home, or our district's children actually being able to complete homework or university projects online at home, the benefits will be significant."
"For some it might be about enabling innovation on our farms with new technology or for others, it might even be the open door to starting a new business with the ability to work from home."
"Connect Tararua is a community-driven district collaborative initiative that is working to bring together all the stakeholders necessary the ensure we build an infrastructure network that truly delivers an enabling platform for cell phone and internet connectivity."
Mel said the reality is no one person, or one community or group will achieve significant connectivity improvement across the Tararua District by acting alone.
"As a rural community we must work together to incentivise stakeholders by removing some of the road blocks thereby reducing costs for Telcos to invest and build telecommunications infrastructure across our district. This is what the governance team is doing."
"Now is our opportunity for the whole Tararua district to come together, to Connect Tararua."
In a short space of time and, at a surprising rate of knots, progress has been made with establishment of the Connect Tararua voluntary governance team and project leader.
"This group of people will work together at a strategic level to enable, facilitate and manage the Connect Tararua project focused on delivering better cell phone and internet connectivity across the Tararua district."
The role of the governance team and project leader is to act as a single point of contact for all stakeholders to facilitate, coordinate and act as the link between all communities in the district, and all key decision makers or providers for the project.
"Stakeholders include all our communities, Telcos, the Government, Crown Infrastructure Partners, WISPs (Wireless Internet Service Providers), lines companies and others." Mel said. "We're hoping that Connect Tararua will be a district-wide pilot of a new collaborative approach to telecommunications infrastructure investment in rural New Zealand."
Locals and already established groups, such as the Northern Group and Connect Kumeroa, are rolling into the Connect Tararua project.
"This is about the whole of Tararua District coming together as one to be part of the solution to a very real every day challenge for the majority of the district. Now is the time to be mobilising more people as local community champions for connectivity in their communities," Mel said. "For a project such as this, local knowledge, and local contribution is essential. We need to go the extra mile as a whole district community to make this work as there is very little economic incentive for Telcos to go out of their way to privately invest in rural New Zealand on their own."
Mel said the Government also needs to play it's part.
"After all it is the responsibility of central Government to provide core infrastructure for society to function.
"Telecommunications infrastructure is now a critical necessity of our times."
The community champions, will work together with other locals in their area, to record the cell phone and connectivity status of their local community, identify ideal sites for towers, preferably one or two locations that have line of sight to most if not all households in their local community; and who will work closely with the Connect Tararua project leader and governance team.
Once the governance team has a full district map of all potential tower sites, the plan is to work with Telcos and others to map out projected coverage to see just how beneficial these sites will be to improving connectivity across the district.
"At this point, decisions will be made on how to proceed - some sites will get the big green tick, and for some we may need to find better sites, or they simply may not be required as the connectivity needed could be provided by another proposed tower site." Mel said.
"The economic investment required will be a key decision factor across the district also."
nce sites have been confirmed, there will be a process to follow for the next steps.
"We will need local people to roll up their sleeves to help with track development, any fencing and such like on their local sites."
"The more we can do as locals across the whole district, the greater the incentive there is for the Telcos, government and other stakeholders to be a part of this project." Mel said the timeframe for the project will be several years.
"The outcome will be determined by how well the district comes together to go the extra mile, and how willing the stakeholders are to work collaboratively with this community driven project to, Connect Tararua."
"The Connect Tararua project will be the enabler that will contribute significantly to lifting district productivity, profitability, employment opportunities and re-population of the Tararua District," Tararua District Councillor Jim Crispin said.