Mobile coverage is about to get better for Lumsden and Manapouri residents following Telecom's $300,000 investment in the area.
The telecommunications giant this week announced it had invested more than $300,000 on improved coverage and capacity to the two Southland townships and surrounding area.
A new tower was built at Lumsden and is expected to go live today.
Telecom had ''co-located'' an existing Vodafone site at Manapouri.
Co-locating is when Telecom and Vodafone use the same infrastructure as part of the Government's rural broadband initiative (RBI).
Telecom was co-locating on every one of the RBI sites where it did not already have coverage, and had an ongoing programme of new mobile site construction and upgrades to improve coverage and capacity, a company spokeswoman said.
The investment gave added access to voice, mobile broadband and text messaging services over the Telecom mobile network.
Telecom head of public affairs Conor Roberts said it was important New Zealand communities were able to access mobile services.
''This investment will ensure those who live, work and come to Southland for Lumsden's outstanding fly fishing and Manapouri's stunning scenery will be able to make the most of what the Telecom mobile network can offer.''
He said rural communities and businesses had become increasingly reliant on cellphones as their primary form of connectivity.
