Sky Sport Now debuts, Spark readies streamers for RWC, 5G lab expands

Sky TV has rebooted its streaming sports service with a new Sky Sport Now app offering 12 dedicated sports channels. The new app will replace Sky's Fanpass from August 1. Content will be in high definition.

At the same time Sky will start broadcasting a dedicated sports news channel. It will have local news and have local presenters but will also pull material from around the world. This includes bulletins from Fox Sports News Australia and Sky Sports News UK.

The revamped streaming app will have dedicated channels for rugby, gold, cricket and football. Sky will add to ESPN channels and the new sports news channel to the mix. There will also be pop-up channels for major sporting events.

Supercharged

Sky CEO Martin Stewart says; "We’re supercharging Sky Sport. We already have nationwide reach and a reliable service that we know our customers value. By enhancing the channel line-up we’re giving them even more sport, better content discovery, and in glorious HD as well."

Stewart says Sky Sport Now is the first evidence of the company's new focus on online streaming.

The new app addresses one of the weaknesses of the old four channel Fanpass by giving users access to replays and on demand content. There will also be links to statistics on games and individual athletes.

Pricing for Sky Sport Now includes a weekly $20 pass and a monthly $50 pass. Customers who sign up for a year pay $40 a month.

Spark offers handholding for nervous streamers ahead of RWC

With weeks to go until the Rugby World Cup kicks off Spark has introduced a $149 home set up service for customers who need help configuring their broadband. For Rugby fans who are not Spark customers, Noel Leeming, Harvey Norman and Geeks on Wheels all offer a similar service.

Business email compromise threat continues to rise

Security company Symantec reports on the enduring success of business email compromise or BEC, which it describes as a 'relatively low-tech type of financial fraud'.

Crooks using BEC collected at least US$1.3 billion last year. That's double the amount in 2017. BEC scams use email to manipulate people into moving money into fake accounts or buying non-existent products and services.

Spark opens 5G Co-Lab

Spark opened its 5G Co-Lab, an extension to the 5G lab opened last year. The space aims to give companies access to a working 5G mobile network so they can try out ideas before the live network is rolled out. Three local companies, The Patience Project, Paymark and Ohmio are the first to use the facility.

Gartner charts enterprise switch to open internet

Research company Gartner predicts that by the end of 2021, 70 percent of large enterprises will rely solely on the internet for their WAN connectivity for small and remote branch offices. This is twice the number in 2017.

A report by Australian-based analysts Bjarne Munch and Padraig Byrne says: "We are now seeing enterprises introducing an internet-first strategy for their WANs. This will also incorporate consumer-grade internet services, where possible."

Tonga submarine cable cut may have been sabotage

RNZ reports the company managing the only submarine cable connecting Tonga to the internet says the link was deliberately cut. The cut left the island nation without communications for 12-days in January. Tonga Cable says the link was cut into four sections by an anchor dragged along the seabed and satellite mapping identified a ship that was in the area at the time.

Broadband Compare, Tuanz expand awards event

This year's Broadband Compare Tuanz awards include two new categories: for the best large service provider and for the best wireless broadband service provider. This year's awards will take place on November 7 at Auckland's Crowne Plaza hotel.