High-Ground Advantage: Meshcore Repeaters Launch to Fortify Bay of Plenty Connectivity
Bridging the Digital Divide with Resilience in Mind
The Bay of Plenty is a region defined by its stunning coastlines, fertile plains, and – importantly for communications – challenging topography. From deep gullies in Tauranga South to the rolling hills of Te Puke, maintaining reliable connectivity can be a major challenge for residents and emergency services. Dropped calls and unreliable data should not be the norm.
That is why we are proud to announce the successful deployment of a robust, new Meshcore Repeater network across the Western Bay of Plenty. Our mission is simple: to create a resilient communication backbone that works when traditional infrastructure falters, built on a foundation of smart, strategic, and high-elevation placement.
The Strategic Advantage: Why Line-of-Sight is Key
Unlike standard repeaters that rely on existing cellular infrastructure, Meshcore Repeaters create a self-healing, independent network. Each installed node acts as an intelligent relay, extending the range exponentially – a crucial capability for off-grid text messaging and GPS location sharing during civil emergencies or in areas with poor mobile reception.
The core of our deployment strategy is exploiting the Bay’s natural geography. I have meticulously selected locations for their high-altitude, line-of-sight advantage to ensure maximum coverage over valleys and coastal areas.
Why Line-of-Sight Matters: By placing repeaters on the highest points, we bypass natural obstructions like hills and ridges. This allows the low-power LoRa signal used by Meshcore to travel long distances – often 10km+ – to reach devices on the floor of the valley or coast. This strategic placement ensures the network is quiet, efficient, and reliable.
Confirmed High-Point Installation Sites: A Resilient Spine
The initial phase of the Meshcore rollout is far from complete but already it is creating a resilient communications spine across the Western Bay of Plenty. These Repeater nodes are now live and actively expanding the network’s footprint, bringing reliable service to previously underserved areas. Ongoing project however to keep infilling all areas are always being looked at to fill shadowed areas.
Location
Approx. Elevation
Strategic Benefit and Coverage Impact
Otawa
550 meters a.s.l.
Primary Hub: Providing continuous coverage and acting as a relay point for Western Bay repeaters.
Te Puke
320 meters a.s.l.
Eastern Coverage & Rotorua Corridor Link possibly: Fortifies the network coverage for the Te Puke area, improving resilience for rural and horticultural businesses.
Upper Ohauiti
280 meters a.s.l.
Tauranga South Resilience: Overcomes the complex, signal-challenging topography of the Ohauiti/Welcome Bay area.
The Minden (Te Puna)
280 meters a.s.l.
North-Western Link: Provides crucial coverage for Te Puna and establishes a clear path for expansion towards Omokoroa and Katikati.
Mauao / Mount Maunganui
232 meters a.s.l.
Harbour Anchor & Coastal Coverage: Essential node covering the harbour entrance, Matakana Island, and the long coastal strip from a prominent landmark.
Tahawai
200 meters a.s.l.
Central Bridge: Ensures continuity and redundancy by linking the major Tauranga hubs with the eastern high points.
Pyes Pa
95 meters a.s.l.
Urban Infill: Crucial for filling signal gaps in the Pyes Pā suburb and connecting to the inner-city basin.
Omanawa
60 meters a.s.l.
Rural Valley Link: Provides coverage for the rural Omanawa valley area, often poorly served by traditional networks.
Maketu
60 meters a.s.l.
Coastal & Low-Lying Link: A vital local relay ensuring network access for the coastal settlement’s community services, especially during a coastal emergency.
Whakatāne
40 meters a.s.l.
Eastern Bay Gateway: Establishes the first key node for Phase Two expansion into the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Ohauiti
45 meters a.s.l.
Local Coverage: Provides improved local service and redundancy for the main Ohauiti area (lower elevation) but receives the main link between Tauranga and the Waikato interface.
Central Mount Maunganui
10 meters a.s.l.
Coastal Urban Infill: Essential ground-level coverage for the busy Mount Maunganui main beach area and foreshore.
Tauranga Airport
10 meters a.s.l.
Major Transport Hub: Provides coverage for the airport and surrounding industrial/commercial areas near the runway.
More repeaters are being deployed whenever I can so this list will keep growing often
Supporting Local Communities and Resilience
This deployment is an investment in the region’s safety and digital equity:
Emergency Preparedness: By ensuring an off-grid communication channel exists – independent of power grids and cell towers – the Bay of Plenty is better equipped to handle severe weather events and natural disasters. **PLEASE NOTE **This system does in no way take away what the authorities plans are…. I am just providing a If all else fails alternative.
Rural Connectivity: The reach from these high points helps bridge the digital divide for rural residents, farmers, and remote businesses.
Community Empowerment: Every resident who uses a Meshcore – compatible device strengthens the entire mesh, turning individuals into active participants in the region’s communication resilience.
What’s Next?
My focus is now looking at expanding coverage further into the Eastern Bay of Plenty to replicate the high-ground success we’ve achieved in the west. We encourage local groups, Businesses and residents to come on board and help provide Locations and/or feedback on areas needing better coverage.
