Rural 4G Internet: Spark say yes($96pm). Skinny say no($52pm). What gives?

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Rural 4G Internet: Spark say yes($96pm). Skinny say no($52pm). What gives?

evilengineer

466 posts

Ultimate Geek

#204720 14-Oct-2016 12:21

So Spark are quite happy to sell me 4G wireless broadband at a RD address 10km outside Hamilton.

But Skinny say "no coverage" at the same address.

Same cell tower, same modem, different answer?

What gives?

Apart from the obvious $40 a month!!!

DarkShadow

1647 posts

Uber Geek

#1651025 14-Oct-2016 13:03

They are different products targeting different markets. So the coverage is not identical.

jjnz1

1363 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1651030 14-Oct-2016 13:15

Skinny is not a rural broadband service.

Have you tried VF? Ask them for a $20 per month 'exclusive' discount.

sbiddle

30853 posts

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Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1651039 14-Oct-2016 13:26

Skinny is an urban fixed wireless solution.

evilengineer

466 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1652130 17-Oct-2016 09:57

jjnz1:

Skinny is not a rural broadband service.

There's no indication on the Skinny website that it's an urban only product.

Or it is pretty well hidden if there is.

It is not given as a reason under the "Why is my address ineligible?" link on their website.

And not mentioned under "Who can get it" either.

jjnz1:

Have you tried VF? Ask them for a $20 per month 'exclusive' discount.

Vodafone wireless broadband is only 3G in our area.

So that's a bit of a no-go at the moment.

Might as well stick with the 7mbps we currently get from ADSL.

taneb1

516 posts

Ultimate Geek

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Mercury

#1652134 17-Oct-2016 10:03

Had the same question recently from a colleague wanting the same thing - The response we got was:

Skinny Broadband does not use all the frequencies of Spark for broadband. Spark do have some extra ones that are not available for Skinny Broadband to use (mainly in rural areas).

We are limited on rural broadband at present that is why we cannot supply there. Thank you for your interest in getting the Skinny Broadband though.

Hopefully in the future they expand it, as have used it a few times before at other peoples property's and works great.

Any comments made are my personal views and does not represent those of my employer

sbiddle

30853 posts

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Biddle Corp

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#1652182 17-Oct-2016 11:11

evilengineer:

There's no indication on the Skinny website that it's an urban only product.

Or it is pretty well hidden if there is.

They don't market is as urban / rural, but you won't find availability in most rural areas.

Nil Einne

469 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1655971 21-Oct-2016 20:51

IMO even with the availability checker, if Skinny are advertising themselves as using the Spark network, they should be saying somewhere that they don't have access to all frequencies (or something similar) rather than only telling people when they contact, if this is what's happening at the moment.