Telecom is bringing in three mobile cellphone sites to help boost mobile coverage and capacity in Christchurch following Tuesday's powerful earthquake.
The Cell Sites on Wheels will help support relief work in key emergency response areas, including the Civil Defence headquarters.
Telecom is also beginning a campaign to collect analogue landline telephones from throughout New Zealand to distribute to people in Christchurch unable to use cordless landline telephones, as a result of power being out.
The analogue phones can be plugged straight into a jack-point and do not require mains power.
Telecom says disruption to landline and mobile phone services is continuing and widespread power outages mean large parts of its Christchurch network are working off backup power.
People are being asked to minimise mobile phone use and use text messages where possible, to free up the telephone network for emergency response workers.
