Spark announced it will provide a satellite-to-mobile service for Spark mobile customers, with a trial set to launch as early as the end of the year.
The service will be delivered in partnership with satellite provider Lynk Global and will allow a subset of Spark mobile customers to opt-in to a free trial. More information on who will be able to participate in the trial, the opt-in process, and specific timings will be announced in the coming months.
This initial trial service will enable text messaging periodically during the day, building towards a more regular service during 2024 as more commercial satellites are deployed. At that time, the service will be offered to Spark customers more broadly. Spark also intends to offer voice and data services in the future, as these services become reliably available.
Last week Spark announced a partnering agreement with Netlinkz to supply Starlink business-grade satellite broadband to customers later this year, following the completion of trials currently underway with a small number of New Zealand businesses.
Spark Product Director, Tessa Tierney,
We believe satellite has an important role to play in connecting Aotearoa New Zealand. While satellite can’t provide 100% coverage – as you need a clear line of sight to the sky to get connected2 – it certainly adds an additional layer of resilience, particularly now, as we face increasingly severe and frequent weather events due to climate change. And once there are more satellites launched and the service is available more broadly, it will allow our mobile customers to start to use their phones in more areas that aren’t reached by traditional mobile coverage. This partnership with Lynk, and our partnership with NetLinkz to offer a satellite business connectivity service are part of Spark’s broader strategy to use satellite as a part of our connectivity offer to customers. We are continuing to work with these and other potential partners to broaden the services Spark can offer.
