Satellite trial gives remote schools high-speed broadband

An eight-week trial of satellite-delivered, high-speed broadband for two remote rural South Island schools in New Zealand has been completed.

The trial, aimed to test the effectiveness of satellite as a means of providing a high-speed broadband link, was conducted in Winchester Rural School in Canterbury and Haast Rural School on the west coast.

The Farmside sponsored trial has demonstrated that satellite delivered high-speed broadband provides a realistic option for highly remote rural schools to be connected to the internet.

Andrena Norris, principal of Winchester Rural School, is convinced that rural children are disadvantaged and delayed in the types of educational experiences they can access and she feels the gap between urban and rural equality in education grows day by day.

"Having a high-speed broadband connection has made a huge difference to what our pupils are able to do, see and learn. Rural children are disadvantaged and delayed in the types of educational experiences that urban schools and communities have easily accessed. Having the Farmside high-speed broadband access has literally transformed classroom programs and greatly enhanced children's motivation and learning."

Both schools will go back to their pre-trial connections until the results of the government's Rural Broadband Initiative tender process, expected to be finalised later this year, can provide more clarity on how they will access high-speed broadband.

"Rural schools must have access to high-speed broadband now to help achieve the same educational objectives as urban children. Farmside acknowledges fibre as an aspiration goal for rural communities, but it may take some years to install. We can meet the RBI 10 Mbps/5 Mbps speed requirements now for rural schools at a fraction of the RBI budget. Why make them wait any longer?" asked Tony Baird, Farmside's CEO.

"Satellite broadband is a bridging technology. With the risk of a whole generation of rural primary school kids missing out on the benefits of high-speed broadband, they need 21st century technology now.

"I urge the government, as part of the RBI, to invest in satellite as part of the high-speed broadband solution for rural schools," he said.