Woosh broadens reach

Woosh Wireless has commissioned three more wireless broadband sites in Southland, bringing its total coverage in the area to 10,000 households.

The Kuriwao site covers the townships of Wyndam and Edendale, while the Twin Law site covers Ohai and Nightcaps. The third site is at Riverton.

Tuatapere, Winton Hill, Gore and central Invercargill are also covered, but about two-thirds of the province is still to be connected.

Woosh chief executive Bob Smith said most remaining sites were under construction or under lease negotiation, but there were a few held up by resource consent issues.

"We are focused on bringing cell sites up in blocks, because of the technical issues involved with configuring them," Smith said.

Woosh won a Government subsidy under the Probe project to supply broadband internet access to the region.

However, the longer than anticipated time required to provide a system meant it gave up Probe contracts it won in Canterbury, Wairarapa and Northland.

Smith said take-up of the service by Southland customers was ahead of target.

New pricing plans had also helped sales in Auckland and Wellington.

Woosh is acquiring the sites it needs to cover Christchurch.