Amplify Turangi has been working alongside Brynn Neilson of Spinning Planet over the past 12 months to establish a secure and free Wi-Fi network available in the Turangi Town Centre for locals and visitors alike.
"It was a concept set up about 12 months ago in Sanson and we just thought it was a great idea for the Tūrangi community"; says Mike Bowie, Amplify Turangi Development Lead.
This Turangi Community initiative allows the community to have access to communicate with friends and relatives, access emails or work and study remotely all while enjoying locations in the Turangi town centre.
The Next Stage:
After a successful trial in Turangi over the Christmas period and the continued success of the sister project in Sanson, this one transmitter clearly demonstrated the success of the pilot and the need for such a service. Amplify has invested in five additional transmitters which are now installed thanks to local businesses co-operation, to extend the WIFI coverage. With coverage now spanning from the i-Site building to the carparks adjacent to the Town Centre, the Turangi Mall, the New World car park plus adjoining cafes and eateries. Anyone in the Tūrangi CBD within range of the transmitters will have unlimited access to the Wi-Fi, capped at a 2 MB speed, free of charge from 5.30am - Midnight.
Benefits of Free WIFI:
Based on the success of the Free WIFI roll out in Sanson, three key benefits have been identified:
It allows access to the internet for members of the Turangi Community who would otherwise not be able to do so.
It provides a safe connection for Turangi whanau while at public places, such as parks, bus stops, town centre area.
It also provides a safe connection for visitors to the Turangi town centre, providing secure contact with friends and whanau.
The free WIFI capacity is limited. It allows a user access to the internet and to send and receive emails. It does not allow users to live stream or download large files. The service automatically shuts down between midnight and 5am. Coverage is limited to 100 - 200 mts direct line of sight from the transmitter antenna
With these transmitters now up and running Amplify is on a drive to increase the Turangi
community awareness and uptake of this free service and allow local residents to make the most of the benefits this service.
This is a community service, it is not for profit; Amplify need local business and community support to see this project continue to expand and increase community awareness of this service. Amplify is seeking expressions of interest from businesses or local community groups that would be interested in supporting, investing and / or installing additional transmitters. If you are able to support this initiative please contact Mike Bowie, Amplify Turangi Development Lead at mike@turangi.biz.
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