Source: Federated Farmers
A live interview on RNZ’s Nine to Noon this morning has added weight to Federated Farmers’ concerns about poor rural connectivity and Chorus’s phasing out of copper lines.
In a twist of irony, Federated Farmers rural connectivity spokesperson Mark Hooper’s connection from his Taranaki dairy farm began to drop out mid-interview.
“I couldn’t have timed it better if I tried,” Hooper says.
“Just as Bryan Crump was suggesting rural people had plenty of modern alternatives to rely on, he got to see firsthand what those of us who live in rural New Zealand deal with every day.
“Rural connectivity isn’t up to scratch, cellular reception is patchy at best, and Chorus’s withdrawal of the copper network only adds to concerns many rural residents have about connectivity.
“All it’s going to do is widen the connectivity gap between those who live in main centres like Auckland and Wellington, and the rest of us who live in the provinces.”
Federated Farmers is urging decision-makers to ensure rural communities aren’t left behind as technology shifts.
