Watching Spark Sport (including launch and pricing)

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Master Geek
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#2192915 7-Mar-2019 11:46

The Spark website says 'Spark Sport will be live in time for the first F1® race, the FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2019'.

I'd have though it's fair to:

1. take that statement at face value, and

2. assume it will work as intended. Given we're pretty close to F1 starting I think it's also to fair to assume that if the closed testing had thrown up any major issues Spark would have flagged a delay by now.

Am I missing something that suggests I should be more pessimistic?

networkn

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#2192917 7-Mar-2019 11:48

Chrisclarke:

Am I missing something that suggests I should be more pessimistic?

Being pessimistic saves you being disappointed more than absoloutely necessary.

smcc

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#2192943 7-Mar-2019 12:40

Chrisclarke:

Am I missing something that suggests I should be more pessimistic?

Not at all. What I am saying is we don't have much info on which to be optimistic.

Given we have good recent examples of this type of platform not performing (e.g. Optus world cup coverage in Aus), given the platform has not yet been released so close to the event, I am nervous. If Spark chose to be more transparent I would be less nervous, and more inclined to be an enthusiastic customer and promoter of their service.

Not releasing your platform so close to the event with no addition information is poor. Lucky for Spark this is not the UK where F1 is a religion to the fans, this would not stand. In NZ due to the timing (Overnight on a Sunday or Monday morning for the races) the number of die hard fans is quite small, and not nearly as vocal. I suspect we are being used as test cases for the RWC anyway, so they are not so concerned if we don't adopt in large volumes. I don't feel respected as a (potential) customer which leads me to view this as very Sky like by Spark sport.

smidon

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#2192970 7-Mar-2019 12:58

smcc:

Not releasing your platform so close to the event with no addition information is poor. Lucky for Spark this is not the UK where F1 is a religion to the fans, this would not stand. In NZ due to the timing (Overnight on a Sunday or Monday morning for the races) the number of die hard fans is quite small, and not nearly as vocal. I suspect we are being used as test cases for the RWC anyway, so they are not so concerned if we don't adopt in large volumes. I don't feel respected as a (potential) customer which leads me to view this as very Sky like by Spark sport.

Agree 100% smcc ... the only reason I have Sky is to have Sky Sport is to have F1. Unfortunately other menbers of my family have developed interests in other aspects of Sky coverage so I'm kinda stuck with it. But I'll be trading off the 2nd room Sky machine for Spark Sport.

I love Formula 1 ... haven't missed a qualy or race in I don't know how long. Starting to feel nervous about this. We should now be able to view test content and get ourselves comfortable and sorted. If in fact I'm just an expendable pawn in the preparation for RWC that p's me off.

never fear, smith is here

langi27

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#2192997 7-Mar-2019 13:59

It would be nice to have some sort of access even if it was a test channel or a spinning logo. (assuming its coming from Akamia's and routing the same way it will when it goes into production).

I've got about 4-5 devices I want to check.

Mi Box, Huawei P9, Sony TV, Windows Laptop, Ubuntu Desktop.

I know that some devices will work better than others. It would be nice to be discussing that now and not 24hrs before the first race starts.

networkn

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#2193004 7-Mar-2019 14:08

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12210471

40,000 people don't have a suitable internet to stream the RWC.

I wonder what Spark has planned for them?

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#2193007 7-Mar-2019 14:12

networkn:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12210471

40,000 people don't have a suitable internet to stream the RWC.

I wonder what Spark has planned for them?

The main games will be FTA on TVNZ But, when it was on Sky, what about those that could not afford or justify Sky?

Both don't cover 100% of Kiwi's, but the main games do (I assume as we don't know except game 1 and the Final, but there are 5 others as well)

networkn

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#2193012 7-Mar-2019 14:18

With Sky, people had a choice to pay if they could. Unless Spark has a master plan not yet detailed, right now, there is no way for people in rural areas referred to in the article to be watching anything other than the "main games" which presumably would be the AB's games and the Semi and Final regardless who is in it.

A lot of people watch plenty of the other pool matches. Seems at least based on what we know now, those people can't watch whether they are prepared to pay or not.

I am fortunate enough I will be in an area with decent internet so this doesn't affect me. I feel sorry for those Rugby fans (and there are plenty of them in rural areas) who aren't.

stinger

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#2193021 7-Mar-2019 14:23

networkn:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12210471

40,000 people don't have a suitable internet to stream the RWC.

I wonder what Spark has planned for them?

It's a lot more than just the 40k that don't have reliable broadband. In the other SS thread I pointed out that less than 40% of households have a smart tv or casting device (2018 figure). That's half the population that can't watch the event on the big screen.

tdgeek

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#2193025 7-Mar-2019 14:25

With Sky, there was a cost of 6 months Sky to watch 1.5 weeks of rugger. Many aren't in a position to choose to pay that, even if technically they do have that choice, they don't in reality. They make other arrangements, pub, friends, family. Its the same with Spark, some miss out, they make arrangements. Same issue, different demographic

tdgeek

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#2193028 7-Mar-2019 14:27

stinger:

networkn:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12210471

40,000 people don't have a suitable internet to stream the RWC.

I wonder what Spark has planned for them?

It's a lot more than just the 40k that don't have reliable broadband. In the other SS thread I pointed out that less than 40% of households have a smart tv or casting device (2018 figure). That's half the population that can't watch the event on the big screen.

Skys market share was not too far off 50%, if not 50% in the past. Not disimilar

Edit Admittedly some of these can afford 6 months of Sky to watch it, but its still a very large % that are out

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shk292

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#2193066 7-Mar-2019 14:31

stinger:

It's a lot more than just the 40k that don't have reliable broadband. In the other SS thread I pointed out that less than 40% of households have a smart tv or casting device (2018 figure). That's half the population that can't watch the event on the big screen.

And you can't buy these things? There is a big difference between "can't" and "haven't bothered to equip themselves to". On your basis I "can't" watch a lot of sport currently because I don't have a Sky box.

Similarly internet access - there is rural wireless broadband or even satellite, although the latter probably doesn't have the bandwidth and data caps.

cyril7

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#2193076 7-Mar-2019 14:50

Talkiet:

LOL.

"Less certain is how the broadband retailer networks will handle the stress - particularly Spark, which hasn't had to deal with such potentially large spikes in traffic before."

Particularly Spark? We've dealt with bigger spikes than any other RSP in the country and we're doing a huge amount of investment for this. Much of this has been led by an experienced network design team and we've managed to get the money spent as much as possible into strategic work that will improve the experience and long term capacity for all CDNs, not just RWC traffic.

Clearly there will be _some_ people who won't have internet good enough to stream - that is just reality, but there's some naivety shown in that article.

Cheers - N

Yep Neil, I am sure you and your team have built a well engineered solution to manage the sustained load this will place, your experience is well known and respected by those who have worked with you, but I do wonder if the network engineering team at Optus felt just as comfortable before last years FiFa.

I understand Spark looked close into Optus's setup and discussed with them points to watch for, but I presume it was a small handful of oversights that contrived against them, do you have any hints of their downfall that you can share :)

Cyril

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#2193078 7-Mar-2019 14:55

Talkiet:

LOL.

"Less certain is how the broadband retailer networks will handle the stress - particularly Spark, which hasn't had to deal with such potentially large spikes in traffic before."

Particularly Spark? We've dealt with bigger spikes than any other RSP in the country and we're doing a huge amount of investment for this. Much of this has been led by an experienced network design team and we've managed to get the money spent as much as possible into strategic work that will improve the experience and long term capacity for all CDNs, not just RWC traffic.

Well researched article! this editor deserves to be upgraded to stuff!

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Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

cyril7

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#2193100 7-Mar-2019 15:29

Well I for one am looking forward to some more comprehensive F1 coverage, after having had a wee sample of F1 pro at a mates place in AUT at the end of last season it would be cool if we can readily access most of that very comprehensive and engrossing coverage.

Cyril

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