The site of a proposed Spark tower to be built on the corner of Te Mata Rd and Durham Dr, as seen last year. Photo / NZME
The site of a proposed Spark tower to be built on the corner of Te Mata Rd and Durham Dr, as seen last year. Photo / NZME
A_WB230720SPARK6.JPG Havelock North resident Stephen Fookes said he wasn't sure what stage the Te Mata Rd tower was at. Photo / NZME
Havelock North residents are feeling the effects of unprecedented demand for internet during lockdown, Spark says.
Connectivity demand is at an all-time high across Hawke's Bay, and atemporary cell site has been installed at Haumoana to help meet demand in the seaside community, but Spark says those in Havelock North might have to wait a bit longer.
Spark first attempted to install a new tower on the corner of Te Mata Rd and Durham Dr in September 2019, in a bid to meet Rugby World Cup streaming demand, but work was halted after a local community group protested its installation.
A decision about when, and if, the tower will eventually be installed has yet to be announced, almost two years later.
A spokeswoman for Spark said over the past couple of weeks, it had experienced some of the "highest traffic we've ever seen".
A temporary cell site has been installed in Haumoana to cope with increased network demand during lockdown. Photo / Paul Taylor
Its network across the region was holding up well, under the circumstances, with the exception of the Havelock North community, "where we are assessing our options to improve the service", she said.
"In areas where cell sites are at risk of congestion, we're performing urgent upgrades or deploying temporary cell sites to boost capacity."
A temporary cell site installed in Haumoana this week - to support the increased demand for mobile services - will be removed when traffic levels return to normal.
Hastings District councillor Damon Harvey had experienced his own issues with connectivity this lockdown and felt it was the "reality" of Spark's previously predicted demand increase. Photo / NZME
Hastings District councillor Damon Harvey said he had certainly noticed a few connectivity issues in Havelock North since lockdown, with more people trying to work from home or school their children remotely.
"Spark had information there was growing demand before they proposed the Havelock North tower. I wouldn't be surprised now if that problem is actually a reality."
With more people home using devices during lockdown, he expected there would be additional strain on the service.
Havelock North resident Stephen Fookes, one of the community members who spoke out about the tower in 2019, said he hadn't experienced any internet issues nor had he heard anything about it.
He said the group wouldn't be against the installation of a temporary cell site similar to Haumoana, but it depended on where this would be installed. Fookes said he'd had no communication about what stage the proposed tower installation was currently at.
Havelock North resident Stephen Fookes said he wasn't sure what stage the Te Mata Rd tower was at. Photo / NZME
Temporary sites work the same way as permanent sites, the difference being that they can be moved to areas where there is an unusual spike in traffic, for example at an event or holiday destination in the summer months, or where other cell towers are damaged by a natural disaster.
They provide service for fixed wireless broadband and mobile - each cell site has a certain amount of capacity available, which is shared by users within the site's coverage footprint, the spokesperson explained.
"These sites still require electricity and backhaul, however, and deployment requires input from a range of disciplines including radio frequency engineers, deployment engineers, acquisition project managers and resource management experts."
A Spark spokeswoman said it would continue to closely monitor its mobile network to make sure customers can continue to work, learn and connect from home.
