Norsewood: A community desperate for a decent connection

Norsewood is big on its Scandinavian history, but its cellphone connection issues are frustrating for residents and tourists.

Norsewood is facing an “unprecedented crisis” with its mobile phone coverage, according to Connect Tararua.

Last year, the town, home to 1600 residents, was left with little to no coverage following the vandalisation of a Spark tower.

There was also no coverage from other providers, says Connect Tararua spokesman and local business owner Phil Grant.

He says this poses severe communication challenges for residents and visitors.

In February, representatives from Connect Tararua, a local group advocating for community-driven communications solutions, brought up the issue in Norsewood at a meeting of the Tararua District Council’s community development and wellbeing committee, saying that businesses could be losing up to $15 million in annual revenue due to the problem.

Phil says the township also suffers from the “what no coverage, what sort of place is this!” feedback, which limits commerce in the town.

Norsewood, with its Scandinavian history and annual events such as the Viking Festival, attracts more than 30,000 visitors a year.

Monitoring shows Norsewood's cellphone coverage to be poor. Photo / Bevan Conley

Connect Tararua, using G-Net Track Pro, a wireless network monitor, drove all the roads around Norsewood during July this year, surveying coverage by OneNZ, Spark and 2-degrees.

The monitor showed cellphone coverage to be substandard.

Phil says the replacement Spark tower has proven to be insufficient in providing the coverage “Norsewood needs to function effectively”.

Connect Tararua is now calling on all stakeholders and telecommunications companies to come together and address “this critical issue”.

“The absence of reliable mobile phone coverage not only hampers everyday communication but also poses significant risks in emergency situations.

“It is imperative that immediate action is taken to rectify this situation and restore seamless connectivity to the town.”

Relevant parties were urged to join forces and collaborate on finding a swift and effective solution.

“The town of Norsewood deserves reliable mobile phone coverage that meets the needs of its residents and ensures their safety and well-being.”

To discuss possible solutions contact: Phil Grant at Connect Tararua, phone 0274 375 500, or email: phil@gigaregion.nz