Vodafone New Zealand lit up an additional 18 mobile base stations in rural areas, taking the total number of sites built as part of its involvement in the Rural Connectivity Group (RCG) to 150.

Sharina Nisha, the operator’s head of platforms, said in a statement: “Enhancing rural internet access is a large priority. We’re pleased to collaborate with our industry partners to benefit Aotearoa [New Zealand], as we understand how important connectivity is to ensure our rural communities continue to develop and grow.”

Rural broadband is delivered over its 4G network, which means the internet can be delivered wirelessly and removes the need for underground cabling to connect households, Nisha noted.

The government contracted the RCG, a joint venture between the country’s three mobile operators, to be the infrastructure provider to bring mobile and wireless broadband coverage to rural New Zealand under the Rural Broadband Initiative 2 and the Mobile Black Spot fund. The project aims to deploy 500 sites in the first phase, delivering coverage to at least 38,000 rural homes and businesses.