The Rural Broadband contract awarded to our two largest communications companies is prompting cautious optimism from those in the farming world.

The $285m scheme to bring high speed broadband to more than 85% of New Zealand’s rural homes is currently being planned by the government and the two successful bidders, Telecom and Vodafone.

While farming groups have come out in support of the move, all onlookers say more money is needed to provide a service equivalent to their city-based counterparts.

Agricultural software firm Rezare is one of those standing to benefit from the RBI, but managing director Andrew Cooke says it may take some time to get connected.

Mr Cooke says Kiwi farmers are naturally sceptical after years of government promises have so far proved too difficult to implement.

"For a long time they’ve been told better broadband is coming; and they’ve seen lots of television ads over many years saying broadband is now available at this price.

"prices seem to get cheaper and cheaper and they’ve never been able to get it because of course the broadband we’ve all been talking about is broadband in town."

He says the big advantage with this scheme, though, is that Telecom and Vodafone already own infrastructure across most of the country.

"Coverage is still pretty poor in a lot of rural areas so there is a fair bit of scepticism out there.

"Now again I’m hoping that the new towers that they build will deal with that; so you could say that I am positive about it."