Lightwire at a glance

30-day risk-free guarantee

Enjoy 30 days of Lightwire with no strings attached - cancel anytime if it’s not for you.

Local NZ support

Speak directly with locals in Hamilton who understand the challenges you face and know how to solve them.

Hiring and supporting local

140+ local schools, events, and not for profits supported by Lightwire. Our profits stay in NZ.

Fixed prices

No surprises on your bill - just clear pricing with no hidden fees. We won't increase your prices.

Easy switching

Instant plan changes and we take care of the entire process for you, so you can relax and stay connected.

Sustainability commitment

We connect people while making sure our environment stays safe and sustainable.

Lightwire vs Starlink

Local internet, or a signal from space?

Both get you online out where the fibre doesn’t reach. Only one has a Waikato-based team down the road and pours its profits straight back into your community.

What matters to you

Home broadband

Starlink

Local NZ support

LightwireReal Kiwis on the phone — techs who come to you

StarlinkApp & chat support only, no local team

When something goes wrong, you talk to a person in the Waikato who knows your setup — not a chatbot in another timezone.

Monthly price

LightwireFrom $79 / month

StarlinkFrom $85 / month + $20 hardware rental

Our plans start lower and there’s no separate box rental added on top of your bill each month.

Setup & hardware

LightwireFree professional install

StarlinkDIY, or paid install around $340

A qualified installer sets you up properly and checks everything works before they leave — at no extra cost.

Community reinvestment

Lightwire140+ NZ schools backed — events, funding & free internet

StarlinkNo local community investment

Ag days, sports events, ongoing funding, free internet and school infrastructure paid for — the profit from your bill goes back into your community.

Where your money goes

LightwireProfits reinvested here in Aotearoa

StarlinkUS-owned — revenue heads offshore

The money you spend with us stays and works in New Zealand, instead of leaving the country.

Latency & ping

LightwireLow, stable latency on our fixed network

StarlinkHigher and weather-affected (satellite)

A steady connection to the ground network means smoother video calls, gaming and streaming, even when the weather turns.

Tap any row to see what it means for you. Comparison based on publicly available Starlink Residential pricing and Lightwire Home plans as at July 2026. Prices, speeds and availability may vary — check your address for coverage.

Reinvested locally

Kiwi schools backed — and counting

Ag days, sports events, ongoing funding, free internet, school infrastructure paid for — we do it all. When Lightwire does well, your local school does too.

Where your money goes

Your dollars stay in Aotearoa

Every Lightwire profit is reinvested here at home. Starlink is US-owned — that revenue heads offshore, not back into your town.

See if we reach your place.

Real local support, free install, and profits that come home.

Check your address for coverage

Why customers switched to Lightwire

"We are very happy that we picked Lightwire for our new rural property. The service and communication has been excellent, and the network performance and been more than capable in supporting my work from home and all our online streaming.

It was a decision between Lightwire and Starlink. I had heard about weather related issues with Starlink, but one of the key factors in choosing Lightwire was having that local support, which has been great in providing a quick and reliable set up."

I was a long time Lightwire customer, but switched to Starlink because it sounded like I’d be impressed by some next level internet speeds. It was a terribly lacklustre experience and I fast regretted my choice. I couldn’t get a strong signal even right next to the wifi router meaning I had to stay near it to get signal bars, and realised I’d need to install a mesh system to boost the signal around the house, or even to get my TV to stay connected as it kept dropping out of one bar to no bars of signal.

The Starlink help system was unhelpful when I questioned whether the lack of wifi signal was a fault, but the help from Lightwire was instant. We are all again enjoying unlimited internet with a strong signal through the whole house, and the speed is excellent. Very happy to be back with Lightwire ☺️

I signed up to Starlink and after having 3 days in a row with no net I lodged a ticket with their support system. After another week of no reply (except an automated one) and also after talking to a neighbour that was with Lightwire we decided to sign up. Talking with a sales support member (Josh) was so refreshing after zero contact from Starlink. To be heard and acknowledged instead of being held in limbo.

"The speed is incredibly fast and reaches all through the house with no issues. What I enjoy most is how fast it works and how multiple people can be using the internet at the same time without a hitch. We’re a family of six with four kids, and we use the internet mainly for watching TV and running our security cameras. Lightwire handles it all with ease. Our experience has been 10out of 10. I’d recommend Lightwire to everyone I know—super fast, affordable, and reliable."

See how customers rate us

Get more with Lightwire

Whole Home WiFi: Every room, every corner, covered with WiFi.
Staying connected shouldn’t be a hassle, regardless of where you live. Not only do we guarantee coverage throughout your home, but we will also guarantee that the connection is top-notch.

30-day risk free guarantee: Lightwire want to alleviate any uncertainties you have about a new internet connection. We let you decide whether you want to stay on as a customer or you cancel within 30 days without facing any termination fees.

Fast service: Getting you up and running as fast as possible is our priority.

We’ll get an installer to visit your place within 14 days to get you connected. With an average call wait time below 1 minute, when you need us, you’ll get hold of our local support team quickly.