Inspire Net
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersPalmerston North, New Zealand
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Inspire Net does
Inspire Net Limited is a privately held New Zealand internet service and telecommunications provider founded in 1998 and headquartered at 325 Main Street, Palmerston North. It operates its own fibre network across the Manawatu and Tararua regions and maintains more than 100 wireless access towers across the central North Island, making it the only ISP in Palmerston North building and operating its own fibre infrastructure. The company serves approximately 10,000 residential, small-to-medium business, and rural customers, supplemented by wholesale fibre products used to deliver services nationwide beyond its owned footprint.
The company's product portfolio spans three core broadband technologies — fibre (entry 100/20 Mbps from $70/month up to premium 950/450 Mbps), wireless broadband (up to 50/10 Mbps via line-of-sight radio for rural areas), and DSL via Chorus copper (up to 46 Mbps). Add-on services include VoIP telephony (Inspire Voice), domain registration and web hosting, Virtual PBX, server co-location with redundant backbone connectivity, prepaid broadband (Inspire Prepay), public WiFi (Inspire Free WiFi), and webmail. Business-tier offerings include Business HyperFibre with speeds up to 4000 Mbps. All products are delivered via a sales-led, direct-to-customer model combining walk-in office, phone sales (0800 484 363), and self-serve website ordering, with no third-party resellers.
The business is founded on subscription-based recurring revenue from broadband and telephony plans, supplemented by one-time installation fees (e.g., $249-$399 for wireless), co-location hosting, and ancillary domain/hosting services. Pricing is inclusive of GST, with promotional first-month-free offers on 12-month fibre contracts and a $99 early disconnection fee. Distribution is community-focused with heavy reliance on word-of-mouth, local sponsorships, and an explicit "no overseas call centre" value proposition. The company is 100% NZ-owned and operated with leadership under CEO James Watts for over 26 years, and expanded its footprint in 2024 through the acquisitions of Venture Networks Limited (March 2024) and Rural Wireless Limited (April 2024).
Inspire Net firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Inspire Net
- Legal name
- Inspire Net Limited
- Website
- https://inspire.net.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Inspire Net industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Internet Services
- NAICS
- Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers (HDAIABAJ), Rural & Regional ISPs (HDAIADAI)
Keywords
Where Inspire Net is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palmerston North
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Inspire Net business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Broadband Internet Services: Subscription-based residential and business internet services across fibre, wireless, and DSL technologies. Plans range from entry-level $70/month to premium $100/month for fibre, with wireless plans from $70-140/month.
- VoIP Telephony: Voice over Internet Protocol phone service bundled with broadband plans. Voice Starter at $15/month, Voice Starter + Chat at $40/month with international calling options.
- Domain Registration and Web Hosting: Domain registration at $45/year per domain including DNS services. Web hosting plans at $25/month (1GB storage, 1TB transfer) or $50/month (10GB storage, 2.5TB transfer, SSL certificate)
- Co-location Services: Server co-location service providing secure hosting environment with redundant network connectivity for business customers
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Entry Fibre - 100/20 Mbps from $70/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Fibre - 500/100 Mbps from $85/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium Fibre - 950/450 Mbps from $100/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Voice Starter - $15/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Voice Starter + Chat - $40/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Wireless Plans - $70-140/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | DSL Broadband - $85/month |
| Subscription | Annual | Domain Registration - $45/year |
| Subscription | Monthly | Web Hosting - $25-50/month |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wireless Installation - $249-399 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Inspire Net product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Inspire Net is a regional New Zealand Internet Service Provider (ISP) delivering residential and business broadband internet via its own fibre network, line-of-sight wireless towers, and DSL over Chorus copper, plus VoIP telephony, domain registration, web hosting, and server co-location services across the Manawatu and Tararua regions.
Product overview
Inspire Net is a regional New Zealand ISP offering a portfolio of internet connectivity services built around three core broadband technologies: Fibre (with Entry, Standard, and Premium tiers delivering up to 950/450Mbps), Wireless (delivering up to 50Mbps via radio towers for rural areas), and DSL (using Chorus copper infrastructure up to 46Mbps). The company differentiates as the only ISP in Palmerston North building and operating its own fibre network. Add-on services include Inspire Voice (VoIP telephony with Starter and Starter Plus tiers), Domains & Web Hosting (with Basic at $25/month and Pro at $50/month plans), Inspire Free WiFi (public filtered WiFi), Inspire Prepay (prepaid broadband), Co-Location hosting, and Webmail. Business-specific products include Business Fibre, Business HyperFibre (up to 4000Mbps), Business DSL, Business Wireless, and Virtual PBX Solutions. All services are supported by local helpdesk and installation teams based in Palmerston North.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Inspire Wireless: Rural wireless broadband service providing internet access via radio signals from access towers around the central North Island.
- Inspire Voice
- Inspire Free WiFi
- Inspire Prepay
Products and services
- Fibre Broadband (Residential) Residential fibre broadband internet service offering speeds up to 950Mbps download and 450Mbps upload, delivered via Inspire Net's own fibre network in the Manawatu region and wholesale UFB network nationally. Plans start from $70/month.
- Wireless Broadband (Residential) Rural wireless broadband service providing up to 50Mbps download/10Mbps upload via radio signals from Inspire Net's 100+ access towers across the central North Island, ideal for rural areas where fibre is not viable. Plans from $70-140/month.
- DSL Broadband DSL broadband service using Chorus copper telephone line technology, delivering speeds up to 46Mbps download/16Mbps upload where fibre is not available, priced from $85/month.
- Inspire Voice (VoIP Telephony) Voice over IP phone service operating over Inspire Net's internet connection, with VoIP Starter at $15/month and Voice Starter + Chat at $40/month offering NZ landline minutes and international calling options.
- Domains & Web Hosting Domain name registration service as an official NZ registrar and web hosting on Debian Linux with Apache, PHP, and MySQL support. Plans at $25/month (1GB storage, 1TB transfer) or $50/month (10GB storage, 2.5TB transfer, SSL).
- Co-Location Service Server co-location service providing secure hosting environment with redundant fibre-optic links through multiple backbone providers, climate control, and individual UPS for each server rack, targeted at business customers.
- Inspire Free WiFi Public filtered WiFi internet access service providing limited free data per device per month, available in select locations throughout Manawatu, Rangitikei, Tararua, and Whanganui regions.
- Inspire Prepay Prepaid Ethernet and wireless internet service allowing customers to pay in advance for connection periods, available in select central North Island locations.
- Business Fibre Broadband Fibre broadband services designed for business customers with dedicated support and service level considerations for operational continuity.
- Business HyperFibre High-speed business fibre service offering speeds up to 4000Mbps for enterprise customers requiring maximum bandwidth.
- Virtual PBX Solutions Virtual Private Branch Exchange service providing business telephone system functionality without physical hardware, for SMB customers.
- Business DSL DSL broadband services for business customers in areas where fibre is not available.
- Business Wireless Broadband Wireless broadband services tailored for business customers in rural or underserved areas.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 major network outages over 25 years - demonstrating 99.99%+ uptime reliability
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Inspire Net
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Inspire Net technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Inspire Net partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Rural Wireless LimitedcoreInspire Net completed purchase of Rural Wireless Limited, a local wireless broadband provider. Completed in early April 2024. Customers being transitioned to Inspire network with upgraded equipment. Rural Wireless Limited services to be discontinued on 31st January 2026, company to close March 31st 2026.
- Venture Networks LimitedcoreInspire Net purchased Venture Networks Limited, a small wireless service provider in the Shannon area. Built new higher-speed site and transitioning customers to Inspire services with modern equipment.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Inspire Net competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MyRepublic New Zealand: MyRepublic NZ is a fibre-focused ISP on the UFB network, targeting residential and gaming customers. Comparable residential fibre tiers and competitive pricing in overlap markets in New Zealand.
- Wireless Nation: Wireless Nation is a New Zealand rural wireless broadband provider serving farms and rural properties nationwide. Directly comparable to Inspire Net's rural wireless broadband offering using line-of-sight radio with similar pricing tiers for rural customers.
- Orcon: Orcon is a New Zealand ISP providing residential and business fibre and broadband (over Chorus/UFB) and is part of the 2degrees/Vocus group. Comparable retail ISP product mix and pricing tiers to Inspire Net, though operating at national rather than regional scale.
- Slingshot (Now): Slingshot is an NZ challenger ISP offering fibre, broadband, and VoIP services largely over UFB. Direct product comparable to Inspire Net's residential broadband/voice bundles, also serving the New Zealand retail market.
- Compass Communications: Compass Communications is a NZ ISP delivering broadband, fibre, and cloud/hosting services. Comparable product mix to Inspire Net, including bundled voice and business offerings, though nationally distributed.
Broad incumbents
- 2degrees: 2degrees is one of NZ's three major mobile/telco operators, offering fibre, fixed wireless, and mobile services. After acquiring Vocus/Slingshot/Orcon group assets, competes broadly with Inspire Net across broadband lines.
- One NZ (formerly Vodafone New Zealand): One NZ is a major NZ mobile and broadband provider, including a Wireless Broadband FWA product that directly competes with Inspire Net's rural wireless offering in overlapping Manawatu/central North Island geographies.
- Spark New Zealand: Spark NZ is New Zealand's largest incumbent telco offering fibre (over the UFB network), broadband, mobile, and business services nationwide. Directly comparable product set (fibre/VoIP/hosting) to Inspire Net, but at national scale rather than regional.
Others
- Chorus (Network Operator): Chorus owns and operates New Zealand's UFB/wholesale fibre and copper DSL infrastructure that Inspire Net purchases wholesale DSL products from. An infrastructure partner/upstream supplier rather than a retail competitor in Inspire Net's core fibre regions.
Regional players
- Mercury NZ (Trustpower/People First): Mercury NZ (merged with Trustpower) bundles broadband/VoIP with electricity, competing for residential customers in NZ regional markets including some Manawatu/central North Island areas where Inspire Net operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Inspire Net social profiles
Digital presenceInspire Net financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Inspire Net leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Inspire Net funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Inspire Net M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Inspire Net
What does Inspire Net do?
Inspire Net is a regional New Zealand Internet Service Provider (ISP) delivering residential and business broadband internet via its own fibre network, line-of-sight wireless towers, and DSL over Chorus copper, plus VoIP telephony, domain registration, web hosting, and server co-location services across the Manawatu and Tararua regions.
Is Inspire Net a public or private company?
Inspire Net is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Inspire Net founded?
Inspire Net was founded in 1998. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Inspire Net based?
Inspire Net is headquartered in Palmerston North, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Inspire Net make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Broadband Internet Services are the primary driver. The others are voIP Telephony, domain Registration and Web Hosting and co-location Services.
Who are Inspire Net's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MyRepublic New Zealand, Wireless Nation, Orcon, Slingshot (Now) and Compass Communications. Broad incumbents are 2degrees, One NZ (formerly Vodafone New Zealand) and Spark New Zealand. Chorus (Network Operator) is listed as an others. Mercury NZ (Trustpower/People First) is listed as a regional player.
Does Inspire Net have an API?
No public API is recorded for Inspire Net.
What industry is Inspire Net in?
Inspire Net's product category is Internet Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIADAE, Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers), with a secondary code of HDAIABAJ, Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers. Its NAICS code is 5171 and its SIC code is 4813.