Spark wifi trumps UFB

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mdav056

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#202116 17-Sep-2016 21:28

It's amusing to get a personal mailing from Spark offering Spark Broadband wireless just as Chorus starts to UFB cable my street. Fancy that.

It's even more amusing that a whole bunch of houses around here can't get a connection to Spark 4G anyway!

gml

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#1632329 17-Sep-2016 21:41

What is Spark WiFi? WiFi is not related to just a single carrier

richms

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#1632330 17-Sep-2016 21:46

Linux: What is Spark WiFi? WiFi is not related to just a single carrier

Phonebox wifi? Kids love that when its near their schools.

Richard rich.ms

steve98

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#1632331 17-Sep-2016 21:54

Think the OP is talking about spark's fixed broadband service delivered over their mobile network.

staticnz

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#1632332 17-Sep-2016 21:55

I'm betting the OP is referring to Spark's Wireless Broadband, not wifi 😀

GregF

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#1632333 17-Sep-2016 21:56

I'm picking it's Broadband over LTE - running 4G. Skinny are badging it as Wireless Broadband also.

richms

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#1632334 17-Sep-2016 21:57

Well it is a bit confusing when spark do offer a wifi product.

Richard rich.ms

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sbiddle

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#1632366 18-Sep-2016 08:14

mdav056:

It's amusing to get a personal mailing from Spark offering Spark Broadband wireless just as Chorus starts to UFB cable my street. Fancy that.

It's even more amusing that a whole bunch of houses around here can't get a connection to Spark 4G anyway!

It's actually very logical.

Spark want to move to two types of customers - high use on UFB and low use using fixed wireless using 4G. Ultimately they want to move as many customers off copper as possible, and putting low use customers on fixed wireless using 4G means Spark get to keep 100% of the revenue for themselves and not pay Chorus the $60 or so it is per month for a copper connection with POTS.

PhantomNVD

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#1632367 18-Sep-2016 08:26

I think his "fancy that" is due to the fact they've waited till now to offer it?

andrewcnz

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#1632371 18-Sep-2016 08:45

Looking at the RSM site. It would seem that Spark are now going to roll out that 70Mhz of 2300Mhz fixed wireless spectrum they got from Woosh in March. It has to be used by the end of the year or be returned to the crown.

mdav056

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#1635397 18-Sep-2016 12:58

sbiddle:

mdav056:

It's amusing to get a personal mailing from Spark offering Spark Broadband wireless just as Chorus starts to UFB cable my street. Fancy that.

It's even more amusing that a whole bunch of houses around here can't get a connection to Spark 4G anyway!

It's actually very logical.

Spark want to move to two types of customers - high use on UFB and low use using fixed wireless using 4G. Ultimately they want to move as many customers off copper as possible, and putting low use customers on fixed wireless using 4G means Spark get to keep 100% of the revenue for themselves and not pay Chorus the $60 or so it is per month for a copper connection with POTS.

Exactly, and the time to offer this to an area is just before UFB becomes available. But low use? 75-100 gigs/month for me, so they are offering 120 gigs + "landline" for $95.

Even if I could get a 4G connection, I can't see the benefit over my current crappy VDSL. Apart from a very small fistful of $.

gml

alasta

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#1635522 18-Sep-2016 17:17

andrewcnz:

Looking at the RSM site. It would seem that Spark are now going to roll out that 70Mhz of 2300Mhz fixed wireless spectrum they got from Woosh in March. It has to be used by the end of the year or be returned to the crown.

So does that imply that the current offering is a soft launch of what will be more widely available when Spark start utilising some of that extra spectrum?

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BarTender

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#1635585 18-Sep-2016 19:28

alasta:
andrewcnz:

Looking at the RSM site. It would seem that Spark are now going to roll out that 70Mhz of 2300Mhz fixed wireless spectrum they got from Woosh in March. It has to be used by the end of the year or be returned to the crown.

So does that imply that the current offering is a soft launch of what will be more widely available when Spark start utilising some of that extra spectrum?

Spark Wireless Broadband has been available for a while.
https://store.spark.co.nz/internet/page/homewirelessbroadbandoffersummary/

alasta

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#1635587 18-Sep-2016 19:42

BarTender:
alasta:

So does that imply that the current offering is a soft launch of what will be more widely available when Spark start utilising some of that extra spectrum?

Spark Wireless Broadband has been available for a while.
https://store.spark.co.nz/internet/page/homewirelessbroadbandoffersummary/

Yes, but punching in a few addresses suggests that it's unavailable throughout Island Bay, so I was assuming that it's currently only available to a limited audience.

staticnz

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#1635593 18-Sep-2016 19:55

Or might just be the 4G coverage in Island Bay isn't sufficient?

Spark 4G coverage in Island Bay

alasta

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#1635600 18-Sep-2016 20:12

Interesting. I just assumed that there would be robust 4G coverage throughout the main commercial areas of Island Bay, but it looks like it's actually pretty marginal.

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