Vodafone pitched its incoming 4G mobile telecommunications coverage to business people in Queenstown recently. The resort will be the first location for 4G in provincial South Island when it starts on June 20.
Seamless connection to cloud computing, high-definition video conferencing, the streaming of high-definition content, the downloading of content such as feature films in minutes and live television in real time are among the benefits to be gained over the existing 3G coverage.
Not to be outdone, Telecom will launch its own 4G coverage in October, which will be available to more than half the population by mid-2014, although Telecom did not yet have a date for when its 4G would go live in Queenstown.
Improved Telecom mobile coverage across the smartphone network has been introduced in the Wakatipu, including parts of Queenstown Hill, Dalefield, northern parts of Lower Shotover and the Coronet Peak skifield and Peninsula Hill.
The telco's free public Wi-Fi trial over summer was deemed such a success it was extended until at least October this year, at which time a permanent Wi-Fi operation will be confirmed.
Of the more than 40 towns participating in the Wi-Fi trial, Queenstown stood out, there being more than 10,000 registered users in the resort. They downloaded more than 3.7 terabytes of data - the equivalent of about 5500 feature films.
''We know that people are still getting lots of use from it, and we had a peak of over 1000 users in a single day during the Easter break,'' project lead Kerry Trevett said.
''Queenstown was a perfect fit for our Telecom Wi-Fi. It's especially rewarding to see how users have harnessed the service to celebrate and promote the region as a tourist destination to friends and family around the world.
''What we've learned from the users of the Queenstown pilot trial is now being used to establish free trials for the people of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.''
Queenstown was among the first centres Telecom chose to make ''Ultra Fibre'' available, in neighbourhoods where Chorus had laid the fibre cabling.
Telecom said Ultra Fibre customers could look forward to faster speeds and a more consistent broadband experience, especially for multi-user and multi-device households.
VDSL, a newer copper-based broadband technology, will also be available from Telecom for Queenstowners who are not directly in line for ultra-fast broadband yet but who are keen to increase the speed of the broadband connection they have at home and work.
Chorus and Crown Fibre Holdings started introducing ultra-fast broadband, in addition to the existing 50km fibre network, in Queenstown in September and installation work has reached Frankton.
About 2000 customers and three schools should have fibre services by July.
Also, NZSki has announced it will provide free guest Wi-Fi for the first time at both Coronet Peak and the Remarkables ski areas.
