Broadband Compare: Three in four NZers pay for streaming

A Broadband Compare survey found 75 percent of New Zealanders who use streaming services pay for at least one of the services.

The survey questions 1250 New Zealanders on streaming and entertainment and found adoption rates are impressive across all age groups. However there are clear generational differences.

Streaming is more popular than traditional television for people aged 25 to 54. In the last six months 87 percent of this group have viewed streaming content. The number drops to a 78 percent for those aged between 55 and 64. For people over 65, a still respectable, 64 percent watched streaming TV in the last six months.

There be pirates

Younger males are more likely to be streaming pirates. Broadband Compare says 31 percent of all 18 to 34 year olds admitted accessing illegally streamed content. One in five males, 20 percent, use illegal streams while this applies to only 13 percent of females. Significantly 90 percent of all those who use illegal sources also use legal services.

Quality of service trumps cost in the eyes of New Zealand streamers. Broadband Compare found 78 percent say quality is the most important factor when choosing a streaming service. Meanwhile 69 percent say cost is extremely important.

A kicker here is that Broadband compare found 63 percent of customers over the age of 65 consider customer service — not traditionally a strong point with streaming services — as extremely important.

Older folk less confident

Older users also admit to being less confident about using the technology. Only 24 percent of over 65s regard themselves as extremely confident about streaming.

Sky TV remains popular with the 45 to 65 age bracket, 36 percent of people in this range have a subscription. Younger New Zealanders, aged 25 to 44 are more likely to have a Netflix account with 74 percent of people in this range having subscriptions.

The average monthly spend on streaming is $37.50.

Broadband Compare says old school television remains popular with 72 percent of the population watching it in the last six months.

Voyager upgrades core network in time for RWC

Voyager Internet says it spent over $600k buying eight 100 Gbps routers from Juniper Networks for a core data network upgrade. It says this will allow it to deliver more 10Gbps services to customers such as carriers and wholesalers without network overloading. Jovica Mrkela, the company's CTO, says the move will benefit business relying on cloud and services such as voice over IP.

Southern Cross Next cable

Nokia's Alcatel Submarine Networks business unit says work has begun on the Southern Cross Next Cable, which will connect Australia and New Zealand with the West coast of the United states. The cable will also connect to Fiji, Tokelau and Kiribati. The project is due to complete in 2021.

Chatham Islanders get free RWC streaming from Wireless Nation

Wireless Nation has worked with Optus Satellite to deliver Rugby World Cup coverage to the remote Chatham Islands. The 600 islanders living 800 km east of New Zealand typically have internet speeds that are too slow for streaming services. It cost $15,000 to install enough satellite capacity to stream games to the islands. The matches will be shown for free at the Norman Kirk Memorial Reserve hall.

Chorus scores Gender Tick

Chorus is the first telco to be awarded the Gender Tick, showing the company is committed to workplace fairness for all employees regardless of gender. The company has introduced gender and pay equity policies and worked on developing female leadership. It aims to close the gender pay gap by 2022 and will publish progress towards this goal in its annual report.