Hiya,

You're making a bunch of assumptions re: merger of organisations and networks/BNGs etc.  Are you able to provide a bit more detail, what is your specific location in Auckland? It's possible there's been a fibre cut (car accident?),a fault in your cabinet or potentially a line card failure, providing a bit more might help paint a picture :-)

Nick

A heap of reports on Downdetector.  And for the record Hillsborough.

And in terms of making a big assumption - after several years of ultra reliable service (well exceeding what I expect from a retail ISP) it seems a little too coincidental that outages start pretty much straight after a merger.