New Zealand farmers get high-speed broadband boost from Kuiper
New Zealand agriculture is to receive expanded access to high-speed satellite internet after Connected Farms selected Amazon's Project Kuiper network to support its CommsXtend platform. The agreement aims to address longstanding connectivity challenges faced by rural farmers, enabling access to digital technologies across remote areas of the country.
Connectivity challenge
Many farms in New Zealand have struggled with limited or unreliable internet. This has curtailed opportunities to deploy advanced agricultural equipment and restricted access to timely operational data. The new system will use thousands of low Earth orbit satellites, which are networked together and linked to ground infrastructure, to deliver fast, low-latency broadband across rural regions.
"This is more than connectivity-it's the backbone of a new agricultural revolution," said Tom Andrews, CEO and Co-Founder, Connected Farms. "Amazon is building one of the most advanced satellite communications networks in the world. By combining that enterprise-grade service with our CommsXtend system, we're empowering farmers to unlock the full potential of their operations-driving profit, safety, and sustainability like never before."
Precision agriculture
Modern farming increasingly depends on data-gathering technologies such as sensors, robotics, and automation systems. These tools rely on consistent internet access to function seamlessly across large and often remote properties. The CommsXtend service will support remote machinery monitoring, sensor data collection, integration of automation tools, and edge-to-cloud data processing. The system is designed to help farmers make faster, data-driven decisions in real time.
Hardware deployment
Amazon's Project Kuiper hardware includes compact, industrial-grade user terminals developed to operate in the demanding agricultural environment. The antennas carry IP67 ratings to guard against dust, moisture, temperature shocks and constant vibrations typically encountered on working farms. The purpose-built variants will allow fixed and mobile operations in diverse farming conditions found throughout New Zealand and other regions targeted by Connected Farms.
Global ambitions
The partnership forms part of a wider drive to deliver digital infrastructure beyond the reach of traditional networks. Connected Farms said it intends to begin pilot deployments in the UK and North America before broadening service as the Project Kuiper network expands. The company is headquartered in Australia, with operations in New Zealand, the UK, Canada, and the US, specialising in agri-specific connectivity solutions and real-time analytics.
Chris Weber, Vice President of Project Kuiper Business and Consumer, said, "We believe everyone in the world should have access to high-speed internet, whether you're a large technology company in a metro area or a farmer or agricultural enterprise in the most remote areas of the world. Connected Farms has made a commitment to help farmers conquer digital darkness, and we're proud to help them deliver on that vision by adding Project Kuiper to their service offering."
