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: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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0% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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0% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0% Other - I'll share below
WELLINGTON UNACKNOWLEDGED
The 2024 Bunnings NPC regular season ended yesterday (Sunday) with Wellington at the head of the table. But neither TV One news last night nor Mike Hoskings breakfast show on Newstalk ZB made mention of it. Interestingly, the same Auckland sports presenter was on both shows.
The 2024 NPC has produced a lot of good rugby with every team in with a winning chance game by game. A high number of players signalled that they were potentially up to All Blacks/international standard including Wellington second five-centre-wing, Riley Higgins and half back Kyle Preston.
Wellington also finished top of the table in 2023 and was runner-up the year previous.
Interestingly in the Wellington-Hawkes Bay match last Saturday there were at least 8 players formerly from St Pat's Silverstream among the teams.
I hope that this year Wellington will progress to win the championship title in releasing all the skill, ability and consistency they have possessed for three years..
Changing the conversation around dementia
Reducing stigma starts with the words we use, and shifting the way we talk about dementia is a powerful step forward. This World Alzheimer’s Month, Ryman is highlighting the importance of reducing the discrimination caused by stigma surrounding people living with dementia.
Caroline Bartle, Ryman’s Dementia Care and Innovations Lead, says that using appropriate language when referring to people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia can foster a more inclusive society. This not only benefits those experiencing cognitive decline but also their families and the wider community.
Click read more for the full article.
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