Spark customers in North Canterbury are fed up with a lack of internet service and cellphone calls not connecting or dropping out due to poor reception.
They are now demanding answers from Spark after months of frustration.
One customer told the North Canterbury News she often only has two or three bars of service in central Rangiora, and calls often drop out, frustrating her and many others.
She believes the lack of cellphone coverage is due to Spark not keeping up with demand as the population in Rangiora and the rest of North Canterbury continues to increase.
A Spark spokesperson said it is aware ‘‘some customers’’ in the Rangiora area are experiencing mobile or wireless broadband performance that is not meeting expectations.
The spokesperson says it is ‘‘actively managing capacity’’ to protect customer experience.
‘‘That includes temporarily pausing new Wireless Broadband connections in some areas, so existing customers continue to get a reliable service.
‘‘We also have further network investment planned, including a new site to the east of Rangiora to improve coverage between Woodend and Rangiora.’’
It is also promising ‘‘over time’’ sites in the area will be upgraded and additional capacity added where it’s needed.
The spokesperson said population growth can place pressure on networks, which is why ‘‘we continuously monitor performance and invest to stay ahead of demand’’.
‘‘Our focus is on balancing immediate performance for customers today, while continuing to build and upgrade the network for the future.’’
People who have complained to North Canterbury News say they are paying for a service they are ‘‘not getting’’.
‘‘We pay through the nose for a service and we are only getting half a service.’’
One said they had travelled north to Gore Bay and had four bars service, and the same on a trip to Akaroa in the opposite direction.
‘‘But this morning in Rangiora I had none.’’
They say it is not just Rangiora that is suffering from poor service delivery, as people in surrounding areas were also often experiencing problems.
They are also critical of the Spark website.
They say it is not up-to-date with ‘‘who gets what coverage’’ in the area, and are critical that no one ever physically comes to make contact with complainants, or check out the situation, after they have made complaints, making it more frustrating for those who regularly have to ring and complain about poor reception.
