Teenager bringing high-speed internet to Upper Hutt
A company run by a 16-year-old which has brought high-speed internet access to hundreds of households in the Hutt Valley that have been “forgotten" by the big telcos is expanding its services to other parts of the country in a bid to help more residents in isolated areas get connected.
Alex Stewart came up with the idea for his business, WombatNET, when he was 13 and staying at the remote settlement of Turakina Beach, near Whanganui. Older people would often ask the tech-savvy teenager for help with their digital devices, and he soon realised how many people in the area were grappling with the same problem – unreliable and slow internet access.
After doing some research, he discovered that while it was relatively straightforward to connect properties to the fixed wireless broadband network using radio waves transmitted by towers, large internet providers often seemed reluctant to do so because it could be more expensive than using cables. So Stewart decided to meet the need himself.
In early 2020, WombatNET put up its first tower on private land just outside Upper Hutt. Since then, the company has built another 10 around Mangaroa and Whitemans Valley.
With demand for the service growing quickly through online and social media marketing and word of mouth, and as more people began to work from home amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Stewart was struggling to juggle running a start-up with his school work.
Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
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9.5% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
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43.4% I want to be able to choose.
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47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
Kiwisaver Changes
Has your accountant told you about recent changes to KiwiSaver contribution rates and how they may affect wages and payroll calculations?
These updates can have flow-on effects for both employers and employees, and understanding them early helps avoid surprises.
Contact Stephen Larsen or www.stephenlarsenandco.co.nz... for more info
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