Latest news with #StateofCloud2025
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Australian warship takes rural fixed wireless broadband offline
Australian warship disrupts wireless networks, Spark warns cloud adoption is stalling, Chorus updates its outage map, and 2degrees teams with Datacom. Plus: Freeview adds HD, and telcos react to proposed right-to-repair laws. Primo spots FWB outage as HMAS Canberra passes Taranaki Primo managing director Matthew Harrison says a visiting Australian warship took a number of his company's fixed wireless broadband access points offline as it passed down the Taranaki coast. In a LinkedIn post Harrison writes: 'This morning, an Australian warship took out many 5GHz wireless networks across parts of New Zealand. From around 2am, we started seeing our 5GHz APs drop off the Primo network – DFS hits firing off all down the coastal area of Taranaki as the ship's radar swept the area.' DFS or Dynamic Frequency Selection is a way 5GHz WiFi devices can increase their performance by using unlicensed frequencies. Military radar systems use the same frequencies and, as Harrison reveals, this can override civilian applications. Primo is a broadband provider servicing the Taranaki region. It operates fixed wireless broadband networks and has some fibre. 'We've never seen anything like it here before' Harrison says other wireless ISPs were affected. He says Inspire Net Limited in the Manawatū and TPNet NZ in Nelson also reported outages. He says this wasn't a mere blip: 'It was full-scale, military-grade radar triggering built-in safety protocols designed to protect airspace… and it rolled across our network in sync with the ship's movement.' The incident underlines the need for New Zealand Radio Spectrum Management to speed up the release of frequencies in the 6 GHz band. Spark says cloud adoption stalling thanks to security, skills concerns New Zealand cloud adoption may be surging ahead, but Spark warns businesses' ability to make best use of the technology often fails to keep up. Spark's State of Cloud 2025 report surveyed 400 IT decision makers. It found many organisations are not investing in the governance oversight and technical skills needed to make the most of cloud technology. The report found the majority (70 percent) of New Zealand businesses believe cloud is 'critical to their future strategy and growth'. Yet only a third (34 percent) have well-established processes and infrastructure in place. Spark makes a credible sales pitch for cloud services: 'Businesses that fail to prioritise cloud as part of their core strategy may struggle to keep pace with competitors who are already leveraging cloud for scalability, agility, cost optimisation, and are therefore more able to respond quickly to market demands and emerging trends.' It goes on to say that cloud is essential for AI and other emerging technologies. However, two thirds (67 percent) of those surveyed say their cloud infrastructure could be better leveraged. One in ten say their current cloud setup is inefficient and hinders business goals. Mark Beder, Spark's enterprise and government customer director, says there's a danger that organisations treat cloud as an IT issue. He says: 'New Zealand businesses risk being unable to scale innovation and realise ROI from advanced technologies. It's time to bring cloud into the boardroom and recognise it as the next competitive edge for businesses.' Chorus upgrades outage map Chorus says its Internet Outage map is now smarter and clearer after a series of upgrades. Dan Kelly, the company's general manager of access, says its an important tool to update customers: 'On the rare occasion there is an outage, we also know how important it is to customers to know we're aware of the fault and are working to fix it. Ensuring everyone can rely on their internet connections is our top priority.' The improvements include a clearer and more precise view of outage areas so customers can immediately see if they are affected. Customers can now dig deeper for more detailed outage information. This includes live status updates, an explanation of the issue and details on what's being done to fix it. There are also estimates of the time and date services will be restored. In normal times, maps get around 1000 views a day. Kelly says this rises fast when there is a major disruption. 'During Cyclone Gabrielle, the outage map saw a sharp increase in usage, with 43,583 views in just one week.' You can see the map for yourself at: 2degrees, Datacom pair to chase enterprise accounts Datacom managing director Justin Gray and 2degrees chief business officer Andrew Fairgray. A 'preferred supplier' partnership between 2degrees and Datacom will see the two companies formalise an arrangement previously used to offer enterprise and government customers a one-stop shop. Together they can offer an entire technology suite covering IT, networking, cloud, cybersecurity and mobile. For Datacom, the deal means being able to offer customers a more complete range of services. The company's managing director Justin Gray says mobile, a 2degrees speciality, is now a key part of contract discussions. Gray goes on to say the partnership opens the door to new opportunities: 'It's simple, but smart, and I am confident it will help us both win business… A preferred mobile and IT services partnership between Datacom and 2degrees represents the coming together of two organisations that share a mutual goal'. Freeview adds high-definition TV for satellite users Freeview says it now offers high-definition television on its satellite service. The company says this is possible because it has upgraded its satellite TV technology to DVB-S2, a second generation broadcast standard with more bandwidth. Broadcasters have to update their transmission systems to make use of HD. Freeview GM Leon Mead says TVNZ was the first to upgrade to HD. At the time of writing TVNZ 2 and Duke offer HD nationwide while TVNZ 1 offers HD in Northland and Auckland. Elsewhere it offers improved picture quality. In other news… Spark in line for $47m windfall from Hutchison takeover The NZ Herald's Chris Keall writes about a transaction in Australia which could reap Spark a much needed cash injection. However the story goes on to say Spark may be able to do better if it doesn't take the offer currently on the table. At Reseller News, Rob O'Neill dives deep into responses to the Green Party's right-to-repair legislation. While the idea is well-intentioned, it could have far-reaching effects and cause more problems than it solves. IDC has cut its forecast for worldwide phone shipment growth from 2.3 percent earlier this year to 0.6 percent, which is effectively a flat market. It puts the blame on economic headwinds and notes the continued uncertainty from the US over tariffs is not helping. The Download Weekly is supported by Chorus New Zealand. Australian warship takes rural fixed wireless broadband offline was first posted at
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Australian warship takes rural fixed wireless broadband offline
Article – Bill Bennett Australian warship disrupts wireless networks, Spark warns cloud adoption is stalling, Chorus updates its outage map, and 2degrees teams with Datacom. Plus: Freeview adds HD, and telcos react to proposed right-to-repair laws. Primo spots FWB outage as HMAS Canberra passes Taranaki Primo managing director Matthew Harrison says a visiting Australian warship took a number of his company's fixed wireless broadband access points offline as it passed down the Taranaki coast. In a LinkedIn post Harrison writes: 'This morning, an Australian warship took out many 5GHz wireless networks across parts of New Zealand. From around 2am, we started seeing our 5GHz APs drop off the Primo network – DFS hits firing off all down the coastal area of Taranaki as the ship's radar swept the area.' DFS or Dynamic Frequency Selection is a way 5GHz WiFi devices can increase their performance by using unlicensed frequencies. Military radar systems use the same frequencies and, as Harrison reveals, this can override civilian applications. Primo is a broadband provider servicing the Taranaki region. It operates fixed wireless broadband networks and has some fibre. 'We've never seen anything like it here before' Harrison says other wireless ISPs were affected. He says Inspire Net Limited in the Manawatū and TPNet NZ in Nelson also reported outages. He says this wasn't a mere blip: 'It was full-scale, military-grade radar triggering built-in safety protocols designed to protect airspace… and it rolled across our network in sync with the ship's movement.' The incident underlines the need for New Zealand Radio Spectrum Management to speed up the release of frequencies in the 6 GHz band. Spark says cloud adoption stalling thanks to security, skills concerns New Zealand cloud adoption may be surging ahead, but Spark warns businesses' ability to make best use of the technology often fails to keep up. Spark's State of Cloud 2025 report surveyed 400 IT decision makers. It found many organisations are not investing in the governance oversight and technical skills needed to make the most of cloud technology. The report found the majority (70 percent) of New Zealand businesses believe cloud is 'critical to their future strategy and growth'. Yet only a third (34 percent) have well-established processes and infrastructure in place. Spark makes a credible sales pitch for cloud services: 'Businesses that fail to prioritise cloud as part of their core strategy may struggle to keep pace with competitors who are already leveraging cloud for scalability, agility, cost optimisation, and are therefore more able to respond quickly to market demands and emerging trends.' It goes on to say that cloud is essential for AI and other emerging technologies. However, two thirds (67 percent) of those surveyed say their cloud infrastructure could be better leveraged. One in ten say their current cloud setup is inefficient and hinders business goals. Mark Beder, Spark's enterprise and government customer director, says there's a danger that organisations treat cloud as an IT issue. He says: 'New Zealand businesses risk being unable to scale innovation and realise ROI from advanced technologies. It's time to bring cloud into the boardroom and recognise it as the next competitive edge for businesses.' Chorus upgrades outage map Chorus says its Internet Outage map is now smarter and clearer after a series of upgrades. Dan Kelly, the company's general manager of access, says its an important tool to update customers: 'On the rare occasion there is an outage, we also know how important it is to customers to know we're aware of the fault and are working to fix it. Ensuring everyone can rely on their internet connections is our top priority.' The improvements include a clearer and more precise view of outage areas so customers can immediately see if they are affected. Customers can now dig deeper for more detailed outage information. This includes live status updates, an explanation of the issue and details on what's being done to fix it. There are also estimates of the time and date services will be restored. In normal times, maps get around 1000 views a day. Kelly says this rises fast when there is a major disruption. 'During Cyclone Gabrielle, the outage map saw a sharp increase in usage, with 43,583 views in just one week.' You can see the map for yourself at: 2degrees, Datacom pair to chase enterprise accounts Datacom managing director Justin Gray and 2degrees chief business officer Andrew Fairgray. A 'preferred supplier' partnership between 2degrees and Datacom will see the two companies formalise an arrangement previously used to offer enterprise and government customers a one-stop shop. Together they can offer an entire technology suite covering IT, networking, cloud, cybersecurity and mobile. For Datacom, the deal means being able to offer customers a more complete range of services. The company's managing director Justin Gray says mobile, a 2degrees speciality, is now a key part of contract discussions. Gray goes on to say the partnership opens the door to new opportunities: 'It's simple, but smart, and I am confident it will help us both win business… A preferred mobile and IT services partnership between Datacom and 2degrees represents the coming together of two organisations that share a mutual goal'. Freeview adds high-definition TV for satellite users Freeview says it now offers high-definition television on its satellite service. The company says this is possible because it has upgraded its satellite TV technology to DVB-S2, a second generation broadcast standard with more bandwidth. Broadcasters have to update their transmission systems to make use of HD. Freeview GM Leon Mead says TVNZ was the first to upgrade to HD. At the time of writing TVNZ 2 and Duke offer HD nationwide while TVNZ 1 offers HD in Northland and Auckland. Elsewhere it offers improved picture quality. In other news… Spark in line for $47m windfall from Hutchison takeover The NZ Herald's Chris Keall writes about a transaction in Australia which could reap Spark a much needed cash injection. However the story goes on to say Spark may be able to do better if it doesn't take the offer currently on the table. At Reseller News, Rob O'Neill dives deep into responses to the Green Party's right-to-repair legislation. While the idea is well-intentioned, it could have far-reaching effects and cause more problems than it solves. IDC has cut its forecast for worldwide phone shipment growth from 2.3 percent earlier this year to 0.6 percent, which is effectively a flat market. It puts the blame on economic headwinds and notes the continued uncertainty from the US over tariffs is not helping. The Download Weekly is supported by Chorus New Zealand. Australian warship takes rural fixed wireless broadband offline was first posted at
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Australian warship takes rural fixed wireless broadband offline
Primo spots FWB outage as HMAS Canberra passes Taranaki Primo managing director Matthew Harrison says a visiting Australian warship took a number of his company's fixed wireless broadband access points offline as it passed down the Taranaki coast. In a LinkedIn post Harrison writes: 'This morning, an Australian warship took out many 5GHz wireless networks across parts of New Zealand. From around 2am, we started seeing our 5GHz APs drop off the Primo network - DFS hits firing off all down the coastal area of Taranaki as the ship's radar swept the area.' DFS or Dynamic Frequency Selection is a way 5GHz WiFi devices can increase their performance by using unlicensed frequencies. Military radar systems use the same frequencies and, as Harrison reveals, this can override civilian applications. Primo is a broadband provider servicing the Taranaki region. It operates fixed wireless broadband networks and has some fibre. 'We've never seen anything like it here before' Harrison says other wireless ISPs were affected. He says Inspire Net Limited in the Manawatū and TPNet NZ in Nelson also reported outages. He says this wasn't a mere blip: 'It was full-scale, military-grade radar triggering built-in safety protocols designed to protect airspace… and it rolled across our network in sync with the ship's movement.' The incident underlines the need for New Zealand Radio Spectrum Management to speed up the release of frequencies in the 6 GHz band. Spark says cloud adoption stalling thanks to security, skills concerns New Zealand cloud adoption may be surging ahead, but Spark warns businesses' ability to make best use of the technology often fails to keep up. Spark's State of Cloud 2025 report surveyed 400 IT decision makers. It found many organisations are not investing in the governance oversight and technical skills needed to make the most of cloud technology. The report found the majority (70 percent) of New Zealand businesses believe cloud is 'critical to their future strategy and growth'. Yet only a third (34 percent) have well-established processes and infrastructure in place. Spark makes a credible sales pitch for cloud services: 'Businesses that fail to prioritise cloud as part of their core strategy may struggle to keep pace with competitors who are already leveraging cloud for scalability, agility, cost optimisation, and are therefore more able to respond quickly to market demands and emerging trends.' It goes on to say that cloud is essential for AI and other emerging technologies. However, two thirds (67 percent) of those surveyed say their cloud infrastructure could be better leveraged. One in ten say their current cloud setup is inefficient and hinders business goals. Mark Beder, Spark's enterprise and government customer director, says there's a danger that organisations treat cloud as an IT issue. He says: 'New Zealand businesses risk being unable to scale innovation and realise ROI from advanced technologies. It's time to bring cloud into the boardroom and recognise it as the next competitive edge for businesses.' Chorus upgrades outage map Chorus says its Internet Outage map is now smarter and clearer after a series of upgrades. Dan Kelly, the company's general manager of access, says its an important tool to update customers: 'On the rare occasion there is an outage, we also know how important it is to customers to know we're aware of the fault and are working to fix it. Ensuring everyone can rely on their internet connections is our top priority.' The improvements include a clearer and more precise view of outage areas so customers can immediately see if they are affected. Customers can now dig deeper for more detailed outage information. This includes live status updates, an explanation of the issue and details on what's being done to fix it. There are also estimates of the time and date services will be restored. In normal times, maps get around 1000 views a day. Kelly says this rises fast when there is a major disruption. 'During Cyclone Gabrielle, the outage map saw a sharp increase in usage, with 43,583 views in just one week.' You can see the map for yourself at: 2degrees, Datacom pair to chase enterprise accounts Datacom managing director Justin Gray and 2degrees chief business officer Andrew Fairgray. A 'preferred supplier' partnership between 2degrees and Datacom will see the two companies formalise an arrangement previously used to offer enterprise and government customers a one-stop shop. Together they can offer an entire technology suite covering IT, networking, cloud, cybersecurity and mobile. For Datacom, the deal means being able to offer customers a more complete range of services. The company's managing director Justin Gray says mobile, a 2degrees speciality, is now a key part of contract discussions. Gray goes on to say the partnership opens the door to new opportunities: 'It's simple, but smart, and I am confident it will help us both win business... A preferred mobile and IT services partnership between Datacom and 2degrees represents the coming together of two organisations that share a mutual goal'. Freeview adds high-definition TV for satellite users Freeview says it now offers high-definition television on its satellite service. The company says this is possible because it has upgraded its satellite TV technology to DVB-S2, a second generation broadcast standard with more bandwidth. Broadcasters have to update their transmission systems to make use of HD. Freeview GM Leon Mead says TVNZ was the first to upgrade to HD. At the time of writing TVNZ 2 and Duke offer HD nationwide while TVNZ 1 offers HD in Northland and Auckland. Elsewhere it offers improved picture quality. In other news... Spark in line for $47m windfall from Hutchison takeover The NZ Herald's Chris Keall writes about a transaction in Australia which could reap Spark a much needed cash injection. However the story goes on to say Spark may be able to do better if it doesn't take the offer currently on the table. IDC slashes worldwide phone forecast IDC has cut its forecast for worldwide phone shipment growth from 2.3 percent earlier this year to 0.6 percent, which is effectively a flat market. It puts the blame on economic headwinds and notes the continued uncertainty from the US over tariffs is not helping. The Download Weekly is supported by Chorus New Zealand. Australian warship takes rural fixed wireless broadband offline was first posted at
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Cloud Spend To Hit $9.6B By 2028 – But Just A Third Of NZ Businesses Are Cloud-Ready
Press Release – Spark The report shows a growing disconnect between strategic importance of cloud and readiness of organisations to use it effectively. While 70% of NZ businesses acknowledge the critical role of cloud in their future growth, only 34% have the necessary infrastructure, Cloud computing is driving digital transformation in Aotearoa, contributing nearly 6% of the country's GDP. However, new research from Spark reveals most New Zealand businesses are not yet equipped to fully leverage this technology. The comprehensive Spark State of Cloud 2025 report, based on a survey of 400 IT decision-makers highlights a significant capability gap that could hinder digital progress. The report shows a growing disconnect between the strategic importance of cloud and the readiness of organisations to use it effectively. While 70% of New Zealand businesses acknowledge the critical role of cloud in their future growth, only 34% have the necessary infrastructure, governance, and technical maturity to unlock its full potential. Despite this gap, investment in cloud technology is accelerating. IDC forecasts indicate that New Zealand's public cloud spend will nearly double from $5 billion in 2024 to $9.6 billion by 2028, generating over $22 billion in new revenue over the next four years. In 2024 alone, public cloud contributed an estimated $24.3 billion to the economy. Mark Beder, Spark Customer Director for Enterprise and Government, emphasises the importance of governance in enhancing business capability. He urges executive leadership to collaborate with IT departments to strategically approach cloud and AI investments. 'You can't unlock the value of AI, automation, or advanced analytics if you're building on outdated cloud infrastructure. Yet, over half of IT leaders say business decision makers don't fully understand how critical cloud capability is to enabling these technologies,' says Beder. 'If cloud continues to be treated as just an IT issue, New Zealand businesses risk being unable to scale innovation and realise ROI from advanced technologies. It's time to bring cloud into the boardroom and recognise it as the next competitive edge for businesses. 'Spark's purpose is to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world. Cloud platforms provide agile and scalable solutions for managing IT infrastructure and applications. Spark helps businesses choose the right mix of cloud services and plans tailored to your business goals. 'That's why we're introducing a Cloud Maturity self-assessment tool for businesses, so they can test where they sit. The assessment will help to identify their cloud maturity, identify capability gaps and then Spark can help plan practical solutions.' The State of Cloud 2025 report also introduces the Spark Cloud Maturity Framework, a five-stage model that enables organisations to benchmark their progress from early adoption to full digital transformation. The data shows that only 14% of businesses have reached the transformational stage, with the majority still navigating the early phases of maturity. 'Security, skills, and cost uncertainty are the top barriers holding businesses back – and they're not just technical challenges, they're strategic ones,' says Beder. 'Only a handful of organisations have reached the transformational stage of cloud maturity, where cloud is enabling transformative business outcomes. That means the vast majority are missing out on the speed, agility, and innovation that strong cloud foundations enable. Businesses who want to compete in the next wave of digital transformation need to get cloud-ready – and they need to start now. 'Spark has cutting-edge technology and strategic guidance to empower your organisation to streamline operations, maximise efficiency and drive meaningful business results.' By addressing these challenges and fostering a robust cloud infrastructure, New Zealand can enhance its technological capabilities and drive economic growth through innovation and digital transformation. To download the full report, please visit Content Sourced from Original url
Techday NZ
03-06-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
NZD $9.6 billion cloud spend looms but most are unprepared
Research from Spark indicates New Zealand's cloud spend is expected to reach NZD $9.6 billion by 2028, yet only a third of businesses are prepared to fully leverage cloud technology. The Spark State of Cloud 2025 report surveyed 400 IT decision-makers, revealing a significant gap between the recognition of cloud's strategic importance and actual readiness among organisations to implement it effectively. The report found that 70% of New Zealand businesses identify cloud computing as essential for future growth, but only 34% possess the infrastructure, governance, and technical maturity needed to make the most of their cloud investments. Despite these challenges, cloud technology adoption and investment are increasing across the country. Forecasts from IDC suggest that expenditure on public cloud services in New Zealand will nearly double from NZD $5 billion in 2024 to NZD $9.6 billion by 2028. This surge is expected to result in over NZD $22 billion in new revenue over the next four years, with public cloud contributing an estimated NZD $24.3 billion to the national economy in 2024 alone. Mark Beder, Spark Customer Director for Enterprise and Government, highlighted the need for stronger governance to boost business capabilities. He called for closer cooperation between executive leadership and IT teams when managing cloud and AI investments. "You can't unlock the value of AI, automation, or advanced analytics if you're building on outdated cloud infrastructure. Yet, over half of IT leaders say business decision-makers don't fully understand how critical cloud capability is to enabling these technologies," says Beder. He added, "If cloud continues to be treated as just an IT issue, New Zealand businesses risk being unable to scale innovation and realise ROI from advanced technologies. It's time to bring cloud into the boardroom and recognise it as the next competitive edge for businesses. "Spark's purpose is to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world. Cloud platforms provide agile and scalable solutions for managing IT infrastructure and applications. Spark helps businesses choose the right mix of cloud services and plans tailored to your business goals. "That's why we're introducing a Cloud Maturity self-assessment tool for businesses, so they can test where they sit. The assessment will help to identify their cloud maturity, identify capability gaps and then Spark can help plan practical solutions." The State of Cloud 2025 report presents the Spark Cloud Maturity Framework, a five-stage model allowing organisations to benchmark their progress towards full digital transformation, ranging from early adoption to advanced integration. According to the report, only 14% of businesses have reached the highest transformational stage, with the majority still in the early phases of cloud maturity. Beder outlined the principal barriers to cloud adoption, referencing security concerns, lack of skills, and uncertainties over costs. He said, "Security, skills, and cost uncertainty are the top barriers holding businesses back – and they're not just technical challenges, they're strategic ones. Only a handful of organisations have reached the transformational stage of cloud maturity, where cloud is enabling transformative business outcomes. That means the vast majority are missing out on the speed, agility, and innovation that strong cloud foundations enable. Businesses who want to compete in the next wave of digital transformation need to get cloud-ready – and they need to start now. "Spark has cutting-edge technology and strategic guidance to empower your organisation to streamline operations, maximise efficiency and drive meaningful business results." The report suggests that, by addressing these issues and fostering a robust approach to cloud infrastructure, New Zealand organisations can improve their technical capabilities and drive economic growth through digital transformation.
