Download Weekly: Vodafone listing on back burner

Writing at Business Day, Tom Pullar-Strecker reports that Vodafone chief executive Russell Stanners has "dialled-back" expectations the company might float part of its business. This comes five months after the carriers UK-based parent confirmed speculation it was looking at selling part of its NZ operation.

Pullar-Strecker writes: "Stanners said it would be fair to say the company has been investigating a float".

He then quotes Stanners: "But I don't see any great drive to do it particularly given where we see the market – that is where we are at. We have had a good look and on balance we are probably quite happy with where we are at the moment.

We know the market

"We now know the market and when we think it is right we might do something, but it is not something you are going to see in a week or two".

Last year Vodafone attempted to merge with Sky TV, a move that was rejected by the Commerce Commission.

Vodafone engaged Deutsche Bank (which is linked to New Zealand's Craigs Investment Partners), UBS and Bank of America Merrill Lynch to work on the float.

In November the company and its advisors held presentations in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Europe and the US to promote the sale or part sale of the business. According to The Australian newspaper, this received a mixed response from potential investors. One of the concerns voiced to the paper is the small size of the New Zealand market and the lack of opportunity for expansion.

Thinxtra says NZ IoT network a Southern Hemisphere first

Australian-based Thinxtra says its New Zealand SigFox IoT network is now complete. It says this makes it the first nationwide IoT network in the Southern Hemisphere. The network covers 94 percent of the population and includes all cities and regional centres.

Kordia built the Sigfox network which is monitored by Thinxtra’s Network Operation Centre. Local partners include Kordia and Datacom.

2degrees adds iPhone Wifi calling

2degrees is extending its WiFi Calling service to include Apple iPhones. The service launched late last year for Samsung Galaxy Android phones, but an iOS app was not ready at that time. Wi-Fi Calling is a service that allows customers to make calls or send text messages just as they would on a normal mobile connection, but it works outside the coverage area so long as there is a suitable Wi-Fi connection.

The company sees Wi-Fi calling as "a point of difference" with other carriers. In practice it is only regularly used by a small portion of customers, but those people who need it derive great value from the service. In effect it extends the reach of the mobile network. Customers travelling overseas can also use it as an alternative to roaming.

Reannz choses Chorus, Vodafone for Hawaiki backhaul

Chorus and Vodafone have won contracts to connect the Research and Education Advanced Network NZ backbone to Hawaiki's submarine cable landing station in Mangawhai Heads in Northland. This means Reannz members can use the international cable as soon as it comes online, most likely in June.

The two companies will connect to a series of existing Reannz points of presence on the North Shore and in central Auckland. The network includes diverse routes to protect it from being taken out by a single event.

Among other things the cable will help New Zealand researchers take part in the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project.

InternetNZ, NZRS merge

April 1 saw InternetNZ absorb NZRS, the .nz domain name registry service. The combined operation, which now also includes the Domain Name Commission, will be headed by Jordan Carter. Carter was previously was in charge of InternetNZ.

Global Data: 5G not ready yet: GlobalData

Analytics firm Global Data says while the hype from carriers and equipment makers has moved into overdrive, it will take some time before 5G mobile is a practical reality. The company says 5G network hardware is coming to market and carriers are planning service launches, but end user hardware is thin on the ground.

On a positive note, Global Data says the 5G technical standards have been finalised. This means network equipment makers can crank up their manufacturing. While base stations will appear this year, consumers will not be able to use them.

Global Data says smartphones supporting the standard are unlikely to appear until next year.

Preparing for 5G in New Zealand

Radio Spectrum Management has published a consultation document looking at 5G spectrum bands and how they may be allocated. The government agency is calling for feedback on barriers to the roll out of 5G in New Zealand. Submissions are due by Monday 30 April 2018.