Construction of two cellphone towers in the Catlins continues to be delayed until a tower linking the two is completed at Tokanui.
Last February, Vodafone announced the Catlins would have two new towers as result of a community cell-site scheme.
Vodafone planned to fund two rural sites last year, but selected three - northern and southern Catlins, and Waihau Bay, in the North Island's East Cape.
Vodafone New Zealand spokeswoman Michelle Baguley said issues with building the Tokanui tower had delayed the Papatowai (north Catlins) and Slope Point (south Catlins) projects.
''We still do not have access to commence Tokanui, as the ground conditions are not suitable. Without Tokanui built, we cannot confirm the line of sight to Papatowai and hence the final position of that site."
A site near Papatowai had been selected as the only feasible site for the north Catlins tower, but Vodafone was still working through issues with the landowner.
"Three [northern] locations were outlined in the Clutha District Council-managed proposal, but only one was suitable,'' she told the Otago Daily Times earlier this year.
The towers were initially expected to be completed by the end of last year.
Ms Baguley said the original community applications gave several options, and it took time to explore and verify the viability of those.
Delays were also caused by the departure of the council district development manager, Jill Borland, who was working with Vodafone on the project, she said. The position of the council's district development manager was disestablished in the process of creating the Clutha Development Trust.
The north Catlins site is expected to link to the new Owaka tower, which primarily covers the Owaka township, but also reaches surrounding areas in Hinahina, Pounawea, New Haven and Otekura.
A land lease for a site at Slope Point, in south Catlins, had been secured and consent approved.
Ms Baguley said work on the southern site would begin once the tower at Tokanui, also built under the Rural Broadband Initiative, was operational.
The construction of the towers would take about four weeks.
