The New Zealand Ministry of Health has signed a Sponsored Data partnership with mobile network operators Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees.
With this, Kiwis won’t incur mobile data charges when they access essential Covid-19 information, health information and resources, and eligible online health services. The number of sponsored websites will increase over time so New Zealanders can access even more key health information and services without mobile data charges.
In the first instance, anyone using the mobile networks of the country’s largest telco providers can now access 11 key health websites and two GP portals free of data charges. All content hosted on a Sponsored Data website is now free to access from mobile devices connected to the Spark, Skinny, Vodafone or 2Degrees networks. However, usual data charge rates will apply to any externally hosted content such as YouTube videos. All Sponsored Data websites have worked to minimise the amount of externally hosted content and to make it clear when clicking a link will take the user to another website.
Jolie Hodson, CEO, Spark
All mobile data charges for these websites will be charged back to the Ministry until June 2021, with six monthly reviews to confirm extensions to the initiative.
Jason Paris, CEO, Vodafone
While we have now been able to move from higher Covid-19 alert levels down to level one, many New Zealanders will still be keen to keep an eye on the virus threat and health information services that are available.
