Download Weekly: Spark Sport kicks off as beta

Spark's streaming sport service started operation on Thursday, just in time for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

The service is still in beta mode. In practice this means while most aspects are now working, the company will make improvements and add features in coming weeks.

For now Spark Sport is on the web and Apple and Android devices. Sports are shown in real time, viewers can rewind up to four hours. Once an event finishes it will be available on demand.

Formula One first

Early viewers will be able to see Formula One racing, the World Rally Championships, Professional Hockey and NBA TV.

Spark Sport has added the One Championship, which features martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Karate. The first event, One Hero, starts on March 25.

Also new is Edge Sport a round the clock action sport channel which includes skiing, snowboarding, biking, surfing, skating and motorsports.

Spark says more sports will be added in coming weeks. The service will show sports at HD resolution where possible and adjust to lower video quality as necessary.

Chorus counts down Rugby World Cup fibre connections

Chorus says there are now fewer than 90,000 fibre connections left to complete in the run up to this year's Rugby World Cup. The company has added a fibre installation tracking tool to the home page on its web site to monitor progress. It says one installation takes place roughly every three minutes. Chorus anticipates a spike in data use during the tournament and says it add capacity to keep its network congestion free.

3G, 4G spectrum rights to roll over

Communications Minister Kris Faafoi says most spectrum rights in the 2100 MHz and 1800 MHz bands will be renewed. This means mobile network operators 2Degrees, Spark and Vodafone can continue to provide 3G and 4G phone services. However some spectrum will be released for other uses.

Each operator currently has 50MHz in the 1800MHz band. From 2021 this will reduce to 40MHz. The government will also renew Spark’s 30MHz and Vodafone’s 50MHz in the 2100MHz band. The Hautaki Trust’s 30MHz in this band is used by 2degrees and will also be renewed. Telstra had 10MHz in the 2100MHz band. The spectrum is not in use and Telstra will not be given the option to renew.

The renewals will last for 20 years.

Cert NZ reports email scam surge

Cert NZ, the government's online safety organisation says it has seen a surge in "email extortion scams". These are when criminals demand money and make threats, including bomb threats.

They also include attempts to convince people their computers have been compromised followed by blackmail attempts over 'embarrassing images'. Some of these scam emails include details of passwords collected after previous data breaches.

Chorus gets Rainbow Tick

Chorus has earned Rainbow Tick certification. The Rainbow Tick shows an organisation is a safe place for everyone whatever their sexual orientation and gender identity. The company started the Rainbow Tick process 15 months ago. It is part of a broader strategy to highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion within the business.

Spark 5G lab shows driverless car

Spark tested a driverless car on Auckland streets in a joint project with Ohmio Automotion. The car took journalists on a short, slow journey around the Wynyard quarter. Ohmio has also tested vehicles at Christchurch Airport. The demonstration was chosen to illustrate the importance of 5G's low latency which allows the car to respond faster to changed conditions. Dr Mahmood Hikmet, Ohmio’s Head of Research and Development says, “We believe this test with Spark is only the second of its type in the world."

We're buying posher phones, keeping them longer

IDC Research says New Zealanders are buying more expensive devices. The $500 to $900 price range grew in popularity last year, while low-end phone sales dropped almost 20 percent. IDC NZ associate market analyst Scott Manion says: “Increased reliance upon our phones is leading to greater willingness to invest in a higher-end device. These devices bring better performance and are likely to age better." Manion says higher-end devices lead to longer life cycles.