Source: Federated Farmers
Rural New Zealand is being left behind on connectivity, with a new survey showing urgent action is needed from both mobile companies and the Government.
“Many of our members are telling us loud and clear that their mobile coverage is still patchy and unreliable, both on-farm and on provincial highways,” says Federated Farmers telecommunications spokesperson Mark Hooper.
“It’s very concerning that more than a third of farmers say their mobile coverage has actually worsened over the past year.
“Farmers need telcos to step up urgently and provide solutions that ensure reliable service across the country.”
According to the survey findings, mobile coverage currently averages only 57% of farmland, unchanged since 2022.
While more farmers are connected to 4G and 5G, dropouts remain widespread, causing major issues for everyday operations and health and safety.
“For example, farmers are required to comply with NAIT – a digital livestock recording system – but unreliable connections are obstructing that.
“And what happens if a farmer has an accident on the farm and can’t get a signal to call for emergency help?” Hooper says.
Internet access is now nearly universal (99%) but continues to frustrate farmers with variable quality, weather-related outages, and high costs.
Wireless broadband use has slipped to 44%, while satellite services such as Starlink have jumped to 36% of respondents, up from 19% in 2022.
“Farmers are increasingly reliant on services like Starlink, but simply relying on an overseas provider isn’t in the best interests of the country,” Hooper says.
“While many appreciate the coverage and performance they get from Starlink, that’s not a sustainable solution for New Zealand.
“Nor does it support the many small Kiwi businesses that are working hard to provide internet service solutions for their local communities.”
He says fibre expansion is also now a critical issue.
“Fibre currently reaches only 3% of surveyed rural households, leaving most farmers locked out of the benefits urban people and businesses are enjoying.
“Access to fibre could transform rural connectivity, but right now it’s beyond reach for most farmers.”
Federated Farmers says New Zealand urgently needs a national rural connectivity strategy.
“We need investment in an independent service to give farmers clear information on local internet providers, the best options for retaining a landline number, and advice on backup power to cover emergencies,” Hooper says.
“It’s crazy that we’re still even talking about rural connectivity problems. I think everyone assumed the service would be so much better by now – but in some cases it’s even got worse.
“Both industry and the Government need to take this really seriously.”
The survey highlights growing concerns as traditional copper landlines disappear.
Only 40% of farmers now use a landline, down from 64% in 2022, and more than a third of copper users have already received disconnection notices.
“It’s really concerning that the vast majority of rural people about to lose their copper landline still haven’t found a replacement,” Hooper says.
“VoIP doesn’t work in a power outage and mobile isn’t available on large areas of farmland. That leaves people feeling dangerously exposed.”
The survey also found farmers consistently report paying high prices for unreliable service, with some describing the situation as “rural discrimination”.
“These stories should be a wake-up call,” Hooper says.
“Rural communities keep this country going, and they deserve connectivity that’s reliable and fair value for money.”
