As the government rolls out a $285 million infrastructure to provide faster broadband to rural areas, there are questions on what services this will give farmers.

The initiative is set to provide ultra fast broadband coverage to 95 per cent of rural schools, extend mobile coverage by 6200 square kilometres and grant more rural areas access to higher speed internet access.

The construction of 154 new fibre-connected cell phone towers and the upgrading of 380 existing cell towers is expected to enable fixed wireless broadband to rural customers, as well as improved mobile coverage.

The final release of two tender documents in the RBI will cover an additional 192 schools, integrated family healthcare centres in rural areas and up to 82 libraries in rural communities.

Rob Ford, one of the member's on the government advisory board that provides advice and insight for how the plans can best meet the needs of the rural people, says there is a direct link between farming, the internet, productivity and profit – so faster broadband can mean bigger profits for farmers.

'Real-time information is critical to the on-farm decision making process and high-speed broadband in more rural areas is key to that.

'Farmers are collecting more and more data about their animals and their land everyday and the vast majority record this electronically.

Rob says farmers need to be able to instantly access information about their animals, pasture and land remotely from anywhere on the farm.

'Access to their farm information, at the right time and the right place, is imperative for making the right decisions – and rural broadband is absolutely critical to that.”

People in residential rural properties can be waiting up to two years to gain access to rural broadband.

Whakamarama lifestyle block owner Mark Yalden has been trying to gain access to wireless broadband, but has been told it is a two year waiting list.

His phone and internet provider has said there are only a limited number of ports available in the area and unless someone moves out of the area or cancels their contract it will be up to two years before he is able to gain access.

Vodafone is funding a new scheme for people who do not receive rural coverage and are not being included in the government's RBI.

Vodafone head of community and government relations Roger Ellis says small communities and people who live in rural areas can apply to Vodafone for improved mobile coverage.

Applications are open to any willing landowners who have support of local iwi and council and access to existing power supplies and able to provide a line of site options for microwave linking.

Decisions get based on the community's ability to meet the required criteria and the positive impact the site will have on the local community.

Vodafone is planning to build a minimum of two sites every year, between the North and South Island.

Applications are open from October 15 to December 15, with a decision expected to be made by January 15.