The isolated West Coast town of Haast has been promised of cellphone coverage by May.
Minister of Broadcasting and Communications Clare Curran revealed plans to connect the town after years of pleading by locals.
She said site acquisition is already underway and mobile towers are due to be deployed as sites become available.
Haast is in the middle of a more than 240 kilometre black spot, with no cell service from Lake Hawea to Fox Glacier.
"We are pretty much the forgotten land," said Blair Farmer, a Haast motel owner.
Shop owner Pamela Adams says the lack of cellphone coverage is probably the single biggest thing that's holding Haast back.
Not only is there no cell service, but the WiFi they do have is constantly overloaded. Even landlines and Eftpos machines go down with any rain.
"If the landline system goes down then we have nothing at all," Ms Adams said.
Business owners say it's like working in the dark ages.
"It can take me up to three hours to do one order for our shop when it should only really take me 45 minutes, just because the internet is so slow," said Nicky Harris, supermarket owner.
It's also a concern for emergency crews.
"Even an hour to make that first phone call, and that's enough time for someone to pass away," said Police Senior Constable Paul Gurney.
Recent storms highlighted the issue when hundreds of tourists were trapped in Haast with big slips along the state highway.
"They've obviously heard us from this far remote part of South Westland," Mr Gurney said.
The new cell tower will be built in the centre of Haast township, covering three kilometres around. Around six to eight towers will also be put along State Highway Six from Lake Hawea and Fox Glacier by the end of the year.
"By 2020 it will be upgraded to 4G, which will be a higher level of connectivity, be able to use data just like you can in the city," Ms Curran said.
Cell coverage will be available by the end of may when relieved West Coasters can finally step away from the landline.
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