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Bill Bennett
Freelance journalist.
Auckland-based Bill Bennett writes technology and business stories that are directly relevant to New Zealand readers.
His emphasis is on telecommunications, but he also covers other aspects of technology and business. You can find his features in the New Zealand Herald and hear him regularly on RNZ Nine to Noon and the NZ Tech Podcast.
Bennett's The Download Weekly newsletter is published every Friday. You can sign up for it here.
If you want to support his work, you can make a donation to his PressPatron account.
Bill Bennett - Latest News [Page 22]
Before you get excited about 5G fixed wireless broadband…
Monday, 23 December 2019, 2:53 pm | Digitl
Vodafone's 5G network is about to launch . Soon you'll see marketing for 5G fixed wireless broadband marketing. Spark will no doubt follow. Let's step back for a moment and take a reality check. There's a lot to be said for 5G. It's fast, energy efficient ... More >>
Apple Airpods Pro review
Monday, 23 December 2019, 2:34 pm | Digitl
They sound great and last for hours on a single charge. Apple AirPods Pro pack impressive noise cancelling into a tiny space. At NZ$450 the price is competitive if you are looking at more traditional noise cancelling headsets. Apple's original AirPods were ... More >>
Kudos Vodafone for launching 5G, now about the $10 surcharge
Monday, 23 December 2019, 2:30 pm | Digitl
Hats off the Vodafone for building New Zealand's first meaningful 5G network. 1 It's a big step for New Zealand telecommunications and an even bigger step for Vodafon e. A year ago it looked like the company would be starved of the resources needed ... More >>
Seven biggest tech moments of 2019
Monday, 23 December 2019, 2:26 pm | Digitl
Every year throws up a long list of news stories, product launches and events. This year was better than most. Here are six 2019 stories that resonated with me. It's a personal, unordered list and it's written from a New Zealand perspective. You may ... More >>
Please leave some 3.5GHz spectrum for Wisps
Monday, 23 December 2019, 2:17 pm | Digitl
Communications Minister Kris Faafoi says the government will offer spare 3.5GHz spectrum to mobile networks and Māori by the middle of next year. He should put some aside for the Wisps or wireless internet service providers. Carriers need extra ... More >>
Extending New Zealand's fibre network
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 1:26 pm | Digitl
Last week engineers completed the first UFB stage. The so-called UFB1 fibre network reaches three quarters of the country. More >>
Spark dips toe as Vodafone plunges into 5G
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 1:11 pm | Digitl
Vodafone's 5G network will launch any day now. Spark wants you to know it already has New Zealand's first commercial 5G service . More >>
The limits of Spark's 600GB fixed wireless promise
Friday, 22 November 2019, 4:02 pm | Digitl
Writing at the NZ Herald, Chris Keall reports on Spark increasing the data cap on fixed wireless plans to 600GB . Spark only offers 600GB in Auckland where there are usually better broadband options. The company isn't so generous out in the sticks ... More >>
What Hyperfibre says about fixed-line broadband
Friday, 22 November 2019, 3:41 pm | Digitl
Early next year Chorus will start rolling out Hyperfibre, that is faster fibre services of up to 4Gbps . Forget whether you might need that speed today and focus instead on what it says about fibre broadband. More >>
Deebot Ozmo 900: lovable robot vacuum cleaner
Friday, 22 November 2019, 12:50 pm | Digitl
Bill Bennett writes: My first inclination was to turn down the offer to review Deebot Ozmo 90, a robot vacuum cleaner and mopper. At the time I was too busy. Jo overhead the phone conversation and told me to call back - she was keen. So keen I left her ... More >>
Huawei Watch GT 2: A short take
Friday, 22 November 2019, 12:46 pm | Digitl
The Huawei Watch GT 2 looks OK, has great battery life, is waterproof and has a slew of health features, but it can't run third-party apps. More >>
Fibre uptake passes 60% mark in 10 cities
Monday, 18 November 2019, 12:20 pm | Digitl
According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's latest Quarterly Connectivity Report, 10 cities now have fibre uptake rates of greater than 60 percent. More >>
Freebuds 3: Huawei pays homage to AirPods
Sunday, 17 November 2019, 3:24 pm | Digitl
Huawei’s Freebuds 3 look distinct from Apple’s Airpods . Presumably they are different enough to avoid knock-off litigation. More >>
Sign-in with Apple means privacy, security
Sunday, 17 November 2019, 1:57 pm | Digitl
At first sight sign-in with Apple looks like another attempt by a tech giant to collect user data. More >>
If tech giants paid NZ's Telecommunications Development Levy
Sunday, 17 November 2019, 1:34 pm | Digitl
In the UK, the Labour Party plans to nationalise part of the telecommunications network if it wins this year's election. To cover costs, a Labour government will tax multinational tech giants including Google and Facebook. Let's put aside the ... More >>
Telecommunications still most complained about industry
Tuesday, 28 May 2019, 12:56 pm | Digitl
Once again telecommunications is New Zealand's most complained about industry. It's a story we've heard over and over. The latest report is MBIE's New Zealand Consumer Survey 2018 . More >>
Telecommunications still most complained about industry
Tuesday, 28 May 2019, 12:56 pm | Digitl
Once again telecommunications is New Zealand's most complained about industry. It's a story we've heard over and over. The latest report is MBIE's New Zealand Consumer Survey 2018 . More >>
America isolates Huawei — dangerous move with few winners
Tuesday, 28 May 2019, 12:47 pm | Digitl
Earlier this month the US banned American companies from using equipment made by firms that pose a risk to national security. Chinese technology giant Huawei wasn't named. It wasn't necessary. Everyone got the hint. More >>
Huawei blacklist- A guide for everyday users
Tuesday, 28 May 2019, 12:43 pm | Digitl
What Huawei phone users need to know now the US government has blacklisted the company. More >>
Huawei P30 Pro review: More camera than phone
Thursday, 25 April 2019, 12:38 pm | Digitl
More a pocket camera with phone features than a mobile with a camera, the Huawei P30 Pro pushes the Android handset envelope further than any rival. Huawei’s P30 Pro is the first phone with 5x optical zoom. It’s also the first to feature four ... More >>
