# WombatNET - Full Content > WombatNET is a local wireless ISP serving rural and semi-rural communities across the Wellington region, New Zealand. Services include fixed wireless broadband (WombatWireless X), 4G+ wireless broadband (WombatWireless 4G+), and fibre broadband (WombatOptic). Coverage areas include Upper Hutt, Mangaroa, Kaitoke, Whitemans Valley, Wainuiomata, Wallaceville, Te Mārua, Maymorn, Blue Mountains and the Kāpiti Coast. Founded in 2019. Phone: 0800 424 281. Email: hello@wombatnet.co.nz. --- ## How to: Set up autopay in the WombatNET Client Zone URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/set-up-autopay-client-zone/ A quick walkthrough for adding your card and turning on autopay in the WombatNET billing portal, so your invoices get paid automatically each month. --- ## 6 GHz and AFC in New Zealand: what’s blocking outdoor fixed wireless URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/6ghz-afc-new-zealand-fixed-wireless/ The Commerce Commission's latest telecommunications monitoring report has LEO back in the news. Less talked about is a large band of radio spectrum sitting idle while the operators who could use it wait on a regulatory step that the rest of the world took years ago. That band is 6 GHz. Here is what it could do for rural connectivity, how other countries switched it on, and why New Zealand still hasn't. I should say upfront, as the author, that I am not a neutral party here. I run WombatNET, a... --- ## Nine to Noon: rural broadband, Starlink, and the providers at risk URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/nine-to-noon-rural-broadband-starlink/ RNZ Nine to Noon on Starlink, rural broadband, and the local providers at risk of closure, with Federated Farmers. Plus context the segment didn't cover. --- ## The Greater Wellington broadband map: see who can connect your place URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/greater-wellington-broadband-map/ Not sure who can connect your place? Pick your district on the map to see every broadband provider in your area, fixed wireless, fibre, 4G and satellite, and check your address. --- ## Rural Broadband’s Starlink Dependency: The Missing Context URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/herald-rural-broadband-starlink-dependency-extended-context/ WombatNET's Alex Stewart expands on his 2nd Jun Herald NOW interview: infrastructure dependency stacking, spectrum constraints on local WISPs, and the TDL funding question. --- ## Starlink and Rural Broadband NZ: RNZ Audio and Background URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/midday-rural-news-rural-broadband-starlink/ RNZ Midday Rural News on Starlink and rural broadband. Background on the structural risk, the policy context, and what's at stake for rural New Zealand. --- ## The Rural Blind Spot | Part 3: In Confidence URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/the-rural-blind-spot-part-3-in-confidence/ Spectrum allocated asymmetrically. Direct-to-Cell consolidation across mobile carriers. A national security gap at GCSB and NZDF. Ministerial advice withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv). Part 3 sets out the structural decisions that closed off the rural market. --- ## The Rural Blind Spot | Part 2: They Were Warned URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/the-rural-blind-spot-part-2-they-were-warned/ The Commerce Commission's independent expert warned of LEO satellite monopoly risk in October 2025. MBIE internal documents from May 2024 described the same market as a monopoly while the formal OIA response said no analysis existed. Part 2 sets out what was known and when. --- ## The Rural Blind Spot | Part 1: Nobody Checked URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/rural-blind-spot-part-1-nobody-checked/ Between October 2025 and March 2026, 28 OIA requests went to 18 government agencies asking what analysis had been done on rural broadband monopoly risk. Sixteen of twenty-one core questions returned "information does not exist." Part 1 documents the analytical vacuum. --- ## Media and brand assets URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/media-and-brand-assets/ If you're writing about WombatNET, working on a project with us, or just need a clean copy of our logo, this folder has what you're after. Please use the logos as supplied. Don't stretch them, recolour them, or put them on a background that makes it hard to read. The photos can be cropped, stylised, or edited to fit your publication's look. Just please don't use them in a way that misrepresents us or the work we do. We'll add more to this folder over time. If you need something specific that... --- ## Alex Stewart: Why Rural Connectivity Faces a Crisis (And What I Told Parliament) URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/rural-connectivity-submission-parliament-2026/ In 2019, I visited a rural community that had been begging for better access to connectivity for years. The big telcos had looked at the area, done the math on how many customers they could sign up, and walked away. The community was told they'd need to raise a few hundred thousand dollars themselves before the telcos would even consider building a new cell tower near them. So I decided to build my own. That's how WombatNET was born. Not with government funding or venture capital, but because... --- ## The end of copper? What the Commerce Commission’s decision means for rural New Zealand URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/the-end-of-copper-what-the-commerce-commissions-decision-means-for-rural-new-zealand/ The Commerce Commission has recommended deregulating rural copper services, giving Chorus the ability to retire copper lines well before 2030. While copper is old technology, around 70,000 New Zealanders still rely on it as a lifeline, particularly in places with no mobile coverage or reliable power. Our latest blog looks at what this decision means, the risks for vulnerable communities, and why careful planning is essential to ensure no one is left behind. --- ## Is Your Antenna Holding Back Your Rural Broadband Speeds? URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/rural-antenna-upgrade-guide/ If you've had 4G internet for a few years, the antenna on your roof could be the reason your connection isn't performing as well as it should. Here's what you need to know - and what you can do about it. A Common Setup That's Now Outdated Across rural and semi-rural New Zealand, thousands of homes still use a type of antenna called a Yagi - installed during the early days of the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) between 2011 and 2020. These were designed to improve 4G signal in areas with patchy... --- ## A Warship, Radar, and Why Your Wi-Fi May Have Glitched This Week URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/warship-dfs-glitch/ How an Australian Warship Interrupted Your Wi-Fi Over the last couple of days, we've been tracking a bit of a mystery on our network. Early Wednesday morning, multiple WombatNET internet towers across the Wellington region - even those tucked deep in the Hutt Valley - suddenly started dropping connections. At first, we thought the severe weather was to blame. Heavy rain can occasionally bounce wireless signals around, causing brief hiccups in our network. But this time, the scale and timing... --- ## Delivering Trackside Connectivity at Taupō International Motorsport Park URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/case-study-delivering-event-wi-fi-taupo-honda-cup/ Motorsport events are dynamic, fast-paced, and incredibly exciting - but they can also be notoriously challenging environments for internet connectivity.  Due to large event attendance, racetracks often experience slow, overloaded networks, making it difficult for teams to communicate, access critical race data, or stream live events. WombatNET recently had the opportunity to overcome these exact challenges at the Taupō International Motorsport Park. Partnering with Team RWorksNZ during the... --- ## WombatWireless™ X vs 4G+: What’s the Best Rural Broadband Option for You? URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/wombatwireless-vs-4g-best-broadband-option-for-you/ If you live rurally in Wellington, choosing the right WombatNET internet connection can feel like comparing apples to oranges - especially when both are wireless. So what's the real difference between WombatWireless™ X and our 4G+ service? Let's break it down so you can confidently choose the service that best suits your property, lifestyle, and devices. Not sure which is right for you? Our team can run a free desktop assessment to check tower coverage and signal strength at your exact... --- ## Protect Your Internet with WombatNET Hardware Insurance URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/protect-your-internet-with-wombatnet-insurance/ We know the unexpected sometimes happens. Whether it's a power surge, a dog chewing up your cable, or your modem simply packing up and dying, unexpected equipment issues can leave you without internet access, and we understand how inconvenient that can be. That's why we've introduced our Hardware Insurance Plans, designed to protect your connection and keep you online with minimal hassle. Who can sign up? Hardware Insurance is available to all up-to-date WombatNET customers. You can add it to... --- ## Help Centre URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/knowledge-base/ --- ## WombatOptic™ | Fibre URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/home/fibre/ WombatOptic Fibre WombatOptic delivers fibre broadband through the national UFB network, with speeds up to 8Gbps and local support behind it. If fibre reaches your address and you want fast, no-fuss broadband with someone local to call, this is it. Pricing Plans Pick the plan that fits MONTHLY ANNUAL Solo 100Mbps $ 80 99 Per Month Unlimited Data Onsite Setup Available* BYO Router or Buy One From Us Base 24-Month Term** $14.99 Remote Setup Fee*** JOIN NOW POPULAR Pro 500Mbps $ 102 99... --- ## WombatWireless™ 4G+ URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/home/wombat-wireless-4g/ WombatWireless 4G+ WombatWireless™ 4G+ runs on One NZ's nationwide network, which means coverage in places where fixed wireless doesn't reach and fibre isn't coming anytime soon. Unlimited data, local support, and no surprises on the bill.PLANS 4G+ & 5G Broadband Pricing Unlimited-100 Up-to 100Mbps $ 99 Per Month Unlimited Data No Contract* Enhanced 4G+ Speeds Up-To 100Mbps Optional Router rental ($15/m) w/ a 24-Month Commitment JOIN NOW Ideal for those further from a tower seeking... --- ## Terms URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/terms/ WombatNET Terms & Conditions of ServiceEffective Date: 13 April 2026 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTIONWelcome to WombatNET! We’re committed to providing fast, reliable internet to our customers, and we want to ensure you understand how our services work. These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) set out your rights and responsibilities when using WombatNET’s services, as well as our obligations as your service provider.By signing up for or using our services, you agree to these Terms. If... --- ## Home URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/ Hello, neighbour. Locally owned fibre and wireless for Wellington, from Red Rocks to Kāpiti. Get Connected Our Story skip render: ucaddon_animated_mouse_scroll_icon Plans from $52.99/mSimple plans. Clear pricing. What you see is what you pay. Multi-Award-WinningRecognised for doing things differently - and doing them right. About us More than just Broadband. WombatNET began in 2019 with a simple goal: to connect the places the big telcos forgot.What started at a small coastal community... --- ## WombatWireless™ X URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/home/wombat-wireless-x/ WombatWireless X WombatWireless™ X is WombatNET's own wireless broadband network, built and operated from the ground up to serve communities beyond the reach of fibre. Hilltop transmitter sites, dedicated connections, and local support, for the places that have been left waiting long enough.WombatWireless X Coverage Purple/Blue indicates Coverage. Below is an indicative computer-generated model of WombatWireless™ X coverage across the region.No coverage? We can still help you!... --- ## Contact Us URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/contact-us/ Get in touch What brings you here? Help & Support Questions, faults, or just not sure? We’re here. Get Help Partnerships Whether it’s infrastructure, a community project, or something else entirely, we’re keen to hear from you. Start a Conversation Network Expansion We’re still growing. If coverage hasn’t reached you quite yet, it might be closer than you think. Check My Area How to get in touch Level 1, 6 Johnsonville Road, Wellington 6037 (Post Only) 0800 424 281... --- ## About Us URL: https://wombatnet.co.nz/about-us/ The WombatNET Story Locally Driven, Locally Backed. WombatNET delivers dependable connectivity and internet solutions to Wellington's rural fringes, valleys, hills, and coastal areas. Being locally based, we have an edge - we know the region, and when something needs sorting, you deal with a friendly face - a neighbor, not a call centre. We show up when you need us. About WombatNET: Our Story 2019 - Our Journey Begins WombatNET's founder Alex Stewart was 13 when he visited Turakina Beach near... ---