ALT: Heartbreak Attack

Advocates involved in Telecom's reform are warning its consumer benefits could be undone if a merger is allowed

Tech commentator Bill Bennett looks at how a planned join venture between One NZ and 2degrees, allowing them to share their physical mobile networks but remain separate companies, might work. Many people are starting to use AI to take apart gadgets or software they don't have the rights to - and its backfiring. Meanwhile is AI delivering the promised payoffs for businesses outside of the tech sector? And Meta has been fined US $25b for lying to the public about how it handled Facebook user data. Bill Bennett is an Auckland based technology journalist

Submissions warn of weaker competition, higher costs, slower investment; Monopoly Watch NZ backs the One NZ-2degrees Ranco deal. TDL figures show stable market

In this edition * RanCo submission: Tū Ātea * RanCo submission: SafetyNet * RanCo submission: Tuanz * Colocation regulation set to end ## Joint venture could become a gatekeeper Māori-owned telco Tū Ātea says the proposed One NZ–2degrees radio access network joint venture (RanCo) could act as a gatekeeper, making it harder to get Māori spectrum onto mobile networks. Tū Ātea holds commercial 4G and 5G spectrum, but relies on mobile network operators to host its services. In its submission to the Commerce Commission investigation of the proposal, Tū Ātea says: > Today, if 2degrees or One NZ agrees to supply one of these services, it can implement it on its own network. With RanCo, it would need RanCo to implement it. That raises two practical questions: Who decides and who knows. ### Power of veto Tū Ātea warns that if the joint venture goes ahead, these decisions would sit with the new company. Tū Ātea told the Commission this gives RanCo the power to veto third-party hosting requests or expose confidential wholesale customer plans. This risks sidelining Māori spectrum holdings, which are set to grow under Crown commitments. A further concern is that the proposed joint venture threatens Tū Ātea's commercial infrastructure operations. Tū Ātea Network Services (formerly Broadtech) designs and builds cell towers as the primary strategic build partner for tower company Fortysouth, as well as providing services to Connexa. Because RanCo’s core purpose is to consolidate overlapping equipment and eliminate duplicate infrastructure, Tū Ātea says fewer new cell sites will be built nationwide. It says the fall in construction revenue could erode funding for its field-services workforce programmes, which create technical training pathways and skilled jobs for Māori. * * * ## SafetyNet fears RanCo could delay emergency upgrades SafetyNet, the Crown agency responsible for emergency service communications, wants the Commerce Commission to ensure the proposed One NZ–2degrees RanCo joint venture does not compromise public safety networks. One NZ powers back-end cellular services for New Zealand’s emergency services through the Public Safety Network. It delivers priority coverage, and roaming for first responders. SafetyNet fears that transferring radio network control to RanCo could give 2degrees the power to delay or veto essential back-end upgrades needed for public safety. In its submission to the Commerce Commission, SafetyNet asks regulators to seek firm guarantees that public safety requirements will not face "unreasonable delay, cost or constraint" simply because they are not shared by 2degrees. ### Legal limits on guarantees Securing those guarantees may prove tricky. Under Section 66 of the Commerce Act 1986, the Commerce Commission cannot issue a "conditional" clearance tied to ongoing operational promises. It can only say yes or no based on whether the deal substantially lessens competition. If these public safety risks are deemed significant, the applicants would either need to offer binding structural remedies or amend the deal's operational rules themselves to satisfy regulators. ### Single point of failure SafetyNet also warns of the risk consolidating two national mobile networks onto shared radio gear. Running around 60 percent of New Zealand's mobile connections on common active electronics and baseband software creates a single point of failure during natural disasters or cyber incidents. While SafetyNet is not opposed to the joint venture on competition grounds, it says that any network efficiencies must not come at the expense of the quality, resilience or emergency responsiveness that New Zealanders rely on during a crisis. * * * ## Tuanz warns RanCo deadlock could stall upgrades The Technology Users Association of New Zealand (Tuanz) warns that a 50/50 joint venture creates "hold-up" risks for business connectivity. If One NZ wants to roll out a specialised network feature for an enterprise client but 2degrees faces financial constraints and vetoes the capital spending budget, both networks could be left with under-invested equipment. Tuanz suggests a middle-ground solution similar to Australia's model. This would allow One NZ and 2degrees to share radio gear strictly in rural areas where duplicate builds are uneconomic, but require them to maintain independent, competing radio networks in major cities. As with the SafetyNet concerns, this runs into the limits of the Commerce Commission’s ability to issue a "conditional" clearance. To make an Australian-style regional split happen, One NZ and 2degrees would have to formally rewrite the scope of their application before the Commission decides. * * * ## Analysis: RanCo submissions The first set of submissions covered in last week’s October 23 newsletter focused on competition questions surrounding the RanCo joint venture. This week’s three submissions, especially Tuanz and Tū Ātea, shift the conversation towards structural conditions. In its submission Tuanz acknowledges that the Commerce Commission cannot enforce behavioural promises under section 66 of the Commerce Act 1986. The Commission's power is passive: it evaluates the application brought to it. It can either clear or decline. It lacks the power to draft a compromise or force the applicants to accept a modified deal. If the Commission has preliminary concerns the proposal raises competition issues, it issues a Statement of Issues. At this point, the onus falls on One NZ and 2degrees to offer structural carve-outs or risk having the application rejected. * * * * * * ## ComCom recommends ending mobile colocation rules The Commerce Commission has recommended deregulating mobile tower colocation. It says the rules introduced in 2001 are no longer necessary after mobile operators sold their towers to independent infrastructure companies Connexa and Fortysouth. Telecommunications commissioner Tristan Gilbertson says tower companies now rely on attracting multiple mobile operators as tenants, creating strong commercial incentives to share sites without state intervention. The Commission noted that alternative technologies, including 5G densification, roaming, Ran sharing and satellite-to-mobile, reduce the need for colocation. Ran sharing is at the core of the proposed One NZ–2degrees radio access network joint venture (RanCo) mentioned in the previous stories. Tuanz disagrees with the recommendation. The Technology Users Association of New Zealand says long-term agreements between tower companies and network operators could create barriers for new entrants. The Commission says keeping the rules would not benefit consumers. It says it will monitor the market rather than modify legacy rules. Background: New Zealand mobile networks: coverage, use and limitsMobile networks cover half the New Zealand landmass but almost 100% of where people live and work. Here we examine how mobile networks are used, where coverage falls short, how they compare with fibre and satellite and why resilience matters.Bill BennettBill Bennett * * * ## Revised code aims to simplify telco plan comparison The New Zealand Telecommunications Forum (TCF) has released an updated Product Disclosure Code. It aims to make it easier for consumers to compare broadband and mobile plans. Changes include clearer product descriptions and standard plan cards. The updated code aligns with Commerce Commission retail service quality guidelines. It introduces stricter requirements for telcos to present residential pricing, terms and service features using standardised terminology and formats. TCF chief executive Paul Brislen says that while telecommunications is essential, inconsistent plan presentations historically made head-to-head comparisons difficult. He says standardising information boosts market transparency, helps consumers choose and encourages competition. * * * ## Sign up for Bill Bennett Independent news and analysis of New Zealand's telecommunications market Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. * * * ## In other news * Mobile speeds in the world’s most liveable cities — Ookla _Speeds show little link to liveability rankings._ * Labour backs under-16 social media ban — Interest _Plan follows Australia’s lead and includes a regulator._ * NZ websites slow to patch PHP vulnerability — NZ Herald (paywall) _Many sites offline as a precaution._ * * * ## Dan Kelly to lead Vector Fibre A LinkedIn post from Vector Fibre names Dan Kelly as the infrastructure company’s new general manager. Kelly replaces Laura Smythe, who is staying at Vector Fibre. He was previously at Chorus where he was executive general manager Access. Before that Kelly worked at Sky and Vocus (now part of 2degrees.) ## Wong joins Fortysouth as chief commercial officer Jilyut Wong has joined Fortysouth as the tower network company’s chief commercial officer. Wong replaces Steve Rieger, who moves to the chief operating officer role. Wong spent more than 18 years at Spark. His most recent position was as general manager of Wholesale & International. He was also a director of the Southern Cross Cable Network. * * * ## Spark’s Entelar signs Ciena distribution deal Spark subsidiary Entelar Group has signed an agreement to distribute Ciena networking technology in New Zealand. Entelar says it will provide technical expertise, network design, training and ongoing support, targeting telecommunications companies, data centres, utilities, government and large enterprises. The deal aims to meet growing demand for network capacity and resilience as data traffic, cloud computing and use of AI increase. * * * * * * ## This time last year we looked at the City Rail Link mobile network One New Zealand worked with Nokia on behalf of all three carriers to build a network giving train passengers full 4G and 5G coverage. The technology is also used for real-time train tracking, emergency communications and integration of CRL with Auckland Transport systems. **Five years ago Vodafone rebranded its wholesale division** Vodafone’s reorganised wholesale operation became Vodafone Infrastructure Partners. The business aimed to target mobile virtual network operators, Internet of Things and iwi. It is now known as One NZ Infrastructure Partners. **Ten years ago government announced RBI2** Communications Minister Amy Adams said the government would spend $150 million on the second stage of the Rural Broadband Initiative, which was eventually won by the Rural Connectivity Group. **Download Weekly** is a New Zealand telecommunications industry newsletter written by Bill Bennett. You are welcome to pass it on to your friends and colleagues. While the newsletter is free, reader support helps enormously. If you are reading this for work, donations are tax-free. A banner at the top of the page will take you to the support site. _Have your say. Sign up as a subscriber, it is free, to comment on any of the stories on this site. We don’t collect any personal data other than an email address._

In this edition * Objectors idedntify joint venture risks * Telecommunications Development Levy figures * Phone booths set to go ## One NZ-2degrees joint venture faces opposition Five submissions opposing the proposed One NZ-2degrees Radio Access Network (RANCo) joint venture argue that combining active mobile radio infrastructure risks reversing hard-won telecommunications reforms and harming consumers. The opponents range from overseas-based competition economists to local regulatory pioneers and industry advocacy groups. Across the five submitters, there are four areas of concern. ### Fewer independent networks First is the move from three independently operated radio access networks to two. Former Tuanz CEO Ernie Newman and former Tuanz chair Judy Speight was the chair each offer submissions that warn the joint venture will create a radio access network duopoly and that this is a step on a "downhill slippery slope" back to the days of high pricing and lack of choice before the market reforms of the 2000s. Support for this concern comes from economic reports from consulting firms Compass Lexecon and HoustonKemp (both commissioned by law firm Chapman Tripp). These reports argue that network quality, which includes coverage, data speeds and reliability, is an important area where mobile network operators compete. They argue that removing competition between the operators’ radio networks would reduce their ability to differentiate their services on quality. ### Cost savings and pricing risks The second area of concern is reduced incentives to invest and innovate. Compass Lexecon notes any Ranco investment would only offer the prospect of winning customers from Spark. The consulting firm says this weakens incentives compared to a three-network market where each operator invests to win subscribers from two rivals. Newman and Speight argue that independent networks encourage operators to invest in new technologies and expand rural coverage. Under a single joint upgrade path, innovation may slow to match the least willing to invest. ### MVNOs may struggle to compete A third area of concern is that the joint venture risks raising costs and enabling co-ordination between the two network operators. HoustonKemp and Compass Lexecon say the anticipated efficiencies from consolidating equipment are largely fixed-cost savings, these are more likely to reward shareholders than reduce consumer bills. A more technical fear is that if Ranco charges its owners on a usage basis, fixed network costs become variable costs. This creates a common wholesale price floor and increases market transparency, making price coordination between operators far easier to establish and sustain. Ispanz, which represents smaller players argues that relying on MVNOs to maintain market competition is "fatuous". New Zealand’s MVNO segment is unregulated and accounts for around three percent of connections. This compares with around 20 percent across the OECD. Without open access mandates, Ispanz says MVNOs lack the scale to constrain pricing. ### Shared infrastructure raises resilience concerns The fourth concern is that consolidating radio networks increases systemic risk. In the event of network failures or severe weather, shared infrastructure leaves consumers with fewer backup options for critical digital services. Submitter | Main objection | Recommended action ---|---|--- **Compass Lexecon** _(Economic Consultancy)_ | Unilateral and coordinated effects lessen retail, wholesale, and network competition. | **Decline** clearance or require narrower regional sharing alternatives. **HoustonKemp** _(Economic Consultancy)_ | Permanently eliminates service quality differentiation between 2degrees and One NZ. | **Decline** clearance based on the s 66 statutory test. **Ernie Newman** _(Former TUANZ CEO)_ | Shifts market structure towards a duopoly and increases outage risks. | **Decline** the application. **Judy Speight** _(Former TUANZ Chair)_ | Undoes past regulatory gains and risks rural digital divide. | **Decline** clearance unless strict, enforceable conditions are attached. **ISPANZ** _(ISP & MVNO Industry Body)_ | MVNO market is too weak and unregulated to prevent reduced rivalry. | **Decline** until comprehensive MVNO access regulation is introduced. ### Monopoly Watch backs Ranco proposal Monopoly Watch NZ (led by 2degrees founder Tex Edwards) stands alone as the sole third-party supporter of the venture. The opponents argue that sharing active infrastructure removes crucial quality differentiation and weakens incentives to invest in 5G, 6G and rural coverage. In contrast, Monopoly Watch believes the cost of continually upgrading radio equipment is a major competitive disadvantage for smaller operators. From their perspective, the current market is an uneven "two-and-a-half operator" system where 2degrees has paid zero dividends over 15 years while incumbents extracted billions in profits. Monopoly Watch argues that rather than stifling competition, Ranco reduces the capital 2degrees needs to invest in radio infrastructure. Opponents fear weaker competition. Monopoly Watch believes lower infrastructure costs would allow 2degrees to compete more effectively. Monopoly Watch argues that the Commission should approve the deal despite the competition concerns, provided One NZ and 2degrees retain strict independence over their spectrum, core networks and retail strategies. * * * ## Sign up for Bill Bennett Independent news and analysis of New Zealand's telecommunications market Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. * * * ## TDL figures show shifts beneath a stable market As in recent years, the Commerce Commission draft telecommunications development levy (TDL) determination for 2025-26 shows a sector that is largely stable. Yet beneath the headline figures, there are signs of where change may come from with a doubling of SpaceX’s contribution. New Zealand’s telecommunications market structure remains extremely stable. Last year, in the 2024-25 TDL draft allocation, the top four companies held 81.6 percent of qualified revenue ($4.03bn of $4.94bn). These companies are Spark, One NZ, Chorus and 2degrees. This year's 81.5 percent shows that despite structural shifts, new market entrants and satellite expansion, the Big Four still hold virtually the same dominant slice (82 percent) of revenue. For the 2023-2024 draft their share was 84 percent. ### The major providers hold their positions While Spark remains number one, its lead over One NZ has narrowed slightly compared with previous years. Spark continued its long-term market-share erosion relative to the market. The company has a 26 percent share of qualifying revenue. The Commerce Commission’s continuing review of Digital Island Ltd—which was divested from Spark—could yet change the levy allocations. If Digital Island is officially deemed a standalone, it slightly dilutes Spark’s reported qualified revenue base. 2degrees remains in fourth position with 14 percent of qualified revenue ($1.75 million levy payable). It is the third retail network operator behind Spark and One NZ, and is roughly half the size of the market leader in terms of revenue. Accounting for 19 percent of the levy, Chorus is the highest-ranking wholesale service provider on the list. The next is Tuatahi on three percent, making it New Zealand’s fifth largest provider in the levy allocation. SpaceX sits behind Tuatahi in sixth place. It accounts for three percent of the market and has doubled its share in the last two years. It generates more qualified revenue, than long-standing local players including Sky TV, Kordia and Vector. * * * ## In other news... * Emergency services roll out new radio comms system — RNZ _A look at Wellington Free Ambulance preparing for the changes_. * Data Vault to build 3MW North Shore facility - Reseller News _Launch partners include Eon Fibre and Devoli._ * * * ## Spark abandons plan to modernise phone boxes Spark has laid the blame for its decision to close its public pay phones nationwide on Auckland Council. A statement from the company says it no longer plans to invest in modern alternatives. Spark had proposed a new generation of public phone booths that would offer free calling, WiFi and mobile phone charging. The service was to be funded by advertising. * * * * * * ## Tuanz calls for bipartisan digital strategy Speaking at the 2026 Tech Users Summit, Tuanz chief executive Craig Young called on political leaders to stop resetting the direction of national technology policy after every change of government. He says national progress remains constrained by fragmented, short-term political cycles and piecemeal party policies. Young says technology investment, digital transformation and workforce development require long-term cross-party alignment. "We can't afford to reset our national direction every three years while our global competitors move ahead. What's urgently needed is certainty, coordination and commitment across political lines to deliver a joined-up national strategy." * * * ## Tait Communications picks Zetron for dispatch consoles Christchurch-based Tait Communications has integrated Zetron dispatch consoles into the systems of emergency services agencies using the Public Safety Network. Police and Fire and Emergency already use the consoles, while Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance are set to follow. * * * ## Airbus, Broadtech sign emergency network deal Broadtech and Airbus Defence and Space say they plan to work together to support New Zealand’s transition from legacy narrowband to broadband mission-critical services. * * * ## Re:Mobile collects one million phones The Telecommunications Forum says more than a million phones have been recycled through its Re:Mobile service. Along the way it has kept 174 tonnes of waste out of landfills and raised close to $250,000 for Sustainable Coastlines. TCF chief executive Paul Brislen says collections of old phones have accelerated in recent years. Collected phones are assessed for reuse, refurbishment or recycling. The service is free. ### Old phones worth $478 on average Data from One NZ says the average trade-in value of a phone is $478. The telco says the highest-value phone traded-in this year was a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra 512GB, valued at $1,931. The Apple iPhone 13 128GB is the most common device, with 932 having been traded-in so far this year. One NZ says the figures challenge the assumption that a phone needs to be relatively new to still be worth a substantial amount. The average device traded through One NZ this year is approximately 3.7 years old, while 69 percent of all devices traded have received a valuation above $250. * * * * * * ## This time last year TDL data showed a stable market Data collected to calculate the 2024-25 Telecommunications Development Levy showed a stable industry structure with the top four telcos accounting for around 82 percent of total qualified revenue. **Five years ago the sector faced slow recovery** An IDC report showed that the telecommunications sector growth was flat in the year to June 2021. The research company went on to forecast a long, slow recovery. **Ten years ago Vodafone launched its ill-fated FibreX** In October 2016 Vodafone said its FibreX service was about faster installs than the fibre services could offer. Eventually the launch of FibreX and its controversial name landed Vodafone in court. At the time I wrote the following paragraph: > FibreX is the new name for the Vodafone HFC (hybrid-fibre coaxial) network that services parts of Wellington, the Kapiti Coast and Christchurch. In other words, it is not fibre and that will cause confusion. The Download Weekly is a New Zealand telecommunications industry newsletter written by Bill Bennett. You are welcome to pass it on to your friends and colleagues. While the newsletter is free, reader support helps enormously. If you are reading this for work, donations are tax-free. A banner at the top of the page will take you to the support site. _Have your say. Sign up as a subscriber, it is free, to comment on any of the stories on this site. We don’t collect any personal data other than an email address._ Bill Bennett has covered New Zealand telecommunications for nearly 40 years and was named Tuanz Journalist of the Year 2025.

Submissions warn of weaker competition, higher costs, slower investment; Monopoly Watch NZ backs the One NZ-2degrees Ranco deal. TDL figures show stable market

Spark and 2degrees mobile transparency drops. 2degrees-One NZ apply for joint venture clearance.. Starlink entry level plan speeds slow. Chorus pushes for lighter transport regulation.

Spark and 2degrees mobile transparency drops. 2degrees-One NZ apply for joint venture clearance.. Starlink entry level plan speeds slow. Chorus pushes for lighter transport regulation.

Spark and 2degrees mobile transparency drops. 2degrees-One NZ apply for joint venture clearance.. Starlink entry level plan speeds slow. Chorus pushes for lighter transport regulation.

In this edition * Customers not given key plan information * Ranco clearance application lodged * Latest MBNZ shows satellite plan changes ## Spark, 2degrees cut consumer information Consumer NZ’s 2026 review shows a significant decline in mobile transparency at Spark and 2degrees. While One New Zealand did not go backwards, nor did it improve. Nick Gelling, the Consumer NZ journalist behind the mobile transparency review, wrote: “This year’s results are the worst we’ve seen in five years of the review.” As noted in our "This time last year" section, 2025 was equally poor. The review is conducted with the Commerce Commission, which published its Mobile Transparency Guidelines in November 2025. ### Spark’s transparency performance plummets In the review Spark’s overall rating dropped from 80 percent to 69 percent. The Consumer NZ review regards Spark’s mobile app as excellent, rating it at 85 percent. Yet the score for Spark’s annual email summary fell from 72 percent to 46 percent. The email now mainly prompts customers to open the app instead of providing any useful information. If anything, 2degrees fared worse with its overall score dropping from 65 percent to 46 percent. The company sent no usage summaries to customers between July 2025 and July 2026 due to IT platform issues. For that reason it earned a zero score in that category. Consumer says the company’s app has improved, but customers can only get daily usage figures. In the early years of Consumer NZ’s transparency review, 2degrees was the clear leader. It now lags its rivals. However, Consumer NZ notes that next year’s result will be better when the email summary is restored. One NZ remained unchanged in second place with an overall score of 67 percent. Its annual summary email is now the only one meeting most guidelines, but its app still only shows two to three months of historical data instead of the 12 months recommended by the Commerce Commission. None of the telcos provides information to help low-use customers find better value plans. * * * ## 2degrees-One apply for JV clearance 2degrees and One NZ have filed a 128-page clearance application for their proposed radio access network joint venture, Ranco, with the Commerce Commission. The application argues that radio access network (Ran) assets are essentially homogeneous and not a source of competitive differentiation. The application, dated September 25, but only made public last week, comes after our August 27 report that the two carriers planned to merge their Ran assets into a jointly owned wholesale business by 2027. Last week we covered the Commission's October 1 statement of preliminary issues identifying unilateral, coordinated and vertical effects as key concerns. Under the deal, both carriers transfer their Ran assets—antennas, radios, baseband equipment—to Ranco, a 50/50 joint venture. Ranco will own and operate the combined Ran assets and sell managed Ran services back to both parties. Spectrum, core networks, fibre backhaul, satellite assets and cell-site routers remain with the individual carriers. ### Ran is just a pipe The telcos' central argument is that Ran is merely the "pipe" through which services are delivered. "Ran assets are not a source of differentiation between MNOs," the application states. It notes that all New Zealand operators run essentially the same Ericsson, Nokia or Huawei kit. Removing duplication frees capital for spectrum, core network, price and product. These areas are where competition actually occurs. The application identifies three relevant markets: retail mobile, wholesale mobile and upstream infrastructure services. In each, the parties argue no substantial lessening of competition will occur, citing independent Servcos, continued pressure from Spark and growing MVNO competition, and the ability to deploy Ran unilaterally where the parties disagree. The Commission plans to test the parties' key argument, that Ran is a homogenous input, by asking suppliers whether 2degrees and One NZ actually compete when buying equipment. It will also ask operators whether Ran assets matter to retail and wholesale competition. International precedent features heavily in the application, including European Commission guidelines on network sharing and the ACCC's Optus-TPG decision involving Australia’s second and third largest MNOs challenging the market leader. If cleared, Spark would be the only New Zealand operator running a fully separate national radio network. The parties aim to complete the transaction in the first half of 2027. * * * * * * ## MBNZ: Starlink’s slowing 100 Mbps plan Starlink's "Residential 100 Mbps" plan is significantly slower than its "Residential Max" plan. The Commerce Commission’s October 2026 _Measuring Broadband New Zealand_ report notes the gap between the two plans has widened in the most recent quarter. It notes that download speeds for Starlink’s $170 Residential Max plan have increased compared to the previous report (July 2026). In July customers on the Residential Max plan saw speeds of 245 Mbps falling to 224 Mbps at peak times. In the October survey period this has increased to 284 Mbps and 253 Mbps at peak times. All-day speeds for the $85 Residential 100 Mbps, formerly known as the ‘Lite’ plan have fallen from 130 Mbps in the July 2026 report to 97 Mbps in the October 2026 report. Peak speeds dropped from 115 Mbps to 92 Mbps. The gap between the two plans has gone from 115 Mbps to 187 Mbps. **Analysis:** Starlink is deliberately throttling its budget satellite broadband plan to protect performance for premium customers. The company now offers rural New Zealanders three tiers of satellite broadband. A third $125 _Residential 200 Mbps_ plan is listed on the company’s site but is not covered in the MBNZ report. Differentiating customers by speed tier is standard for urban fibre, but new for rural satellite users. It was inevitable. As Starlink's network gets busier, it chooses to prioritise higher-tier customers. Starlink's $85 plan costs more and offers less than Fibre 100, which costs $50-60/month in urban areas. But rural customers do not have a fibre option. It may come as a surprise to those customers who sign up hoping to see the much-talked-about higher speeds for a low Earth orbit satellite network. Those higher speeds come at a considerable premium. _Starlink prices change frequently. The prices quoted in this story were checked against Starlink’s New Zealand website on the day of publication._ * * * ## Fibre companies push for lighter transport regulation Chorus and Enable Networks are pushing the Commerce Commission to ease regulation of wholesale fibre transport services. They argue competition is stronger than the Commission’s current assessment suggests. Chorus wants transport services removed from price-quality regulation while retaining information disclosure requirements. It says geographically consistent pricing rules hamper its competitiveness, claiming it lost bids for LEO satellite ground stations, submarine landing stations and mobile sites. Enable goes further, arguing its transport services should be fully deregulated. It also challenges the Commission’s approach to measuring competition, saying geographic areas such as Christchurch should be examined more closely rather than treated as a single market. The Commission currently proposes keeping point-to-point, transport and co-location-interconnection services regulated, saying the evidence does not yet show sufficient competitive constraint. Cross-submissions are due on 9 October 2026, with a final decision expected in December. * * * ## In other news... * New Zealand to collaborate with the UK on space research — MBIE press release _UK commits NZ$2 million to support collaboration._ * Game industry now worth $1 billion — RNZ _Sector growing at 32 percent year-on-year._ * AI puts network under pressure — Reseller News _Cisco says there is a widening gap between AI ambition and network readiness._ * * * ## Sign up for Bill Bennett Independent news and analysis of New Zealand's telecommunications market Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. * * * ## Rural Connectivity Group hits 600 sites The Rural Connectivity Group (RCG) now has 600 cell sites. This exceeds the ‘more than 500’ sites the RCG promised when it opened its first sites in 2019. Whangārei Hospital is home to the 600th site. It covers the Tira Ora building (child health centre) where a major redevelopment is underway. The RCG is a joint venture between New Zealand’s three mobile network operators: Spark, One NZ and 2degrees. It was set up in 2017 to bid for the second stage of the government’s Rural Broadband Initiative with the goal of filling gaps in mobile coverage that might not be filled by commercial sites. * * * ## Telcowatch: Spark decline continues Telcowatch reports Spark’s share of the mobile market fell 4.2 percent in the third quarter of 2026. The company’s market share has now fallen for nine successive quarters. 2degrees has been the big winner during the quarter with its share growing by 4 percent. Mirroring Spark's decline, 2degrees has expanded for nine consecutive quarters. One NZ saw its share grow 0.8 percent while Spark’s Skinny brand put on 0.4 percent. One NZ now nearly matches the combined market share of Spark and Skinny. One NZ’s share of the total is now 36 percent while Spark at 31 percent and Skinny at 6 percent combine for a 37 percent share. 2degrees remains firmly in third place with 23 percent. * * * * * * ## This time last year mobile transparency moved backwards A review carried out by Consumer NZ, working with the Commerce Commission, found Spark, 2degrees and One NZ failed to improve mobile billing transparency in the prior year. The review said Spark and 2degrees reduced mobile billing transparency, making it harder for customers to compare plans. **Five years ago, 2degrees and Orcon were close to a merger** Both companies shelved IPO plans to pursue merger discussions. It wasn’t the first time the pair have discussed joining forces. 2degrees looked at acquiring the Orcon business when it was still trading as Vocus New Zealand before a rebrand: IPOs on hold as 2degrees, Orcon talk merger. **Download Weekly** is a New Zealand telecommunications industry newsletter written by Bill Bennett. You are welcome to pass it on to your friends and colleagues. While the newsletter is free, reader support helps enormously. If you are reading this for work, donations are tax-free. A banner at the top of the page will take you to the support site. _Have your say. Sign up as a subscriber, it is free, to comment on any of the stories on this site. We don’t collect any personal data other than an email address._

Two infrastructure-fund-owned telcos now set the pace in New Zealand's three-player mobile market.

The Commerce Commission will test the proposed network sharing joint venture between 2degrees and One NZ. Rocket Lab gets Iridium go ahead. Tuanz breaks even in time for 40 year anniversary.

The Commerce Commission will test the proposed network sharing joint venture between 2degrees and One NZ. Rocket Lab gets Iridium go ahead. Tuanz breaks even in time for 40 year anniversary.