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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 3]
Download Weekly: Chorus returns to profit
Saturday, 30 August 2025, 8:12 pm | Bill Bennett
Chorus turns in positive result despite harsh trading conditions. Emergency services will find your phone even when you didn't make the call. One NZ uses satellites to win DOC business. More >>
Spark profit falls as company shifts back to core
Saturday, 23 August 2025, 12:35 pm | Bill Bennett
Spark posts a sharp profit drop and doubles down on core telecoms. The ComCom moves to deregulate rural copper. Tasman Ring project confirms submarine routes. Oppo launches a budget tablet. More >>
Spark sells majority stake in data centre arm
Saturday, 16 August 2025, 2:53 pm | Bill Bennett
Spark sold 75% of its data centre business to Australia’s Pacific Equity Partners for $486m cash plus up to $98m in performance payments. The deal values the unit at $700m and creates a standalone operation, while Spark retains a 25% stake to tap ... More >>
Download Weekly: Amazon's Project Kuiper looms closer
Saturday, 9 August 2025, 3:45 pm | Bill Bennett
Australia’s NBN Co to offer Amazon satellite broadband next year Amazon satellite launch. Australia’s NBN Co plans to wholesale Amazon satellite broadband from the middle of 2026. The state-owned broadband provider says it will use Project Kuiper ... More >>
Gartner’s Khurram Shahzad on satellite broadband
Sunday, 3 August 2025, 12:04 pm | Bill Bennett
Satellite broadband has grown fast since Starlink began NZ operations four years ago. Gartner direct analyst Khurram Shahzad says it will soon break out of its rural niche. More >>
Download Weekly: One plans more MVNOs
Sunday, 3 August 2025, 11:51 am | Bill Bennett
In this edition: One NZ plans branded MVNOs - Chorus extends fibre network - Spark shuffles board More >>
Download Weekly: Concern as 3G shutdown nears
Monday, 28 July 2025, 5:56 pm | Bill Bennett
In this newsletter: Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa identifies 3G shutdown risks. Number porting to stay regulated. Chorus CTO steps down. NCSC absorbs Cert NZ. More >>
Download Weekly—Winter, game updates see UFB traffic surge
Friday, 18 July 2025, 7:47 pm | Bill Bennett
In today's newsletter - Data demand continues to grow - Starlink reveals network upgrade plan - Flat phone handset sales - Tuanz reports back More >>
Download Weekly: Chorus makes copper deregulation case
Friday, 11 July 2025, 5:13 pm | Bill Bennett
In today's newsletter Chorus says copper regulation is no longer needed Reannz expands with New Zealand eScience Infrastructure Utilities Disputes Tautohetohe Whaipainga find billing remains a pain for consumers Cello starts procurement business Was this ... More >>
Review: HP Elitebook Ultra G1 - an ai laptop for executives
Monday, 7 July 2025, 12:50 pm | Bill Bennett
HP EliteBook Ultra G1. HP’s EliteBook Ultra G1 is a business-class AI Windows laptop with a solid build and strong security. It costs considerably more than a consumer notebook. That makes it great if your employer buys you one—but it’s ... More >>
Download Weekly: Big three dominate telecoms sector
Friday, 4 July 2025, 6:15 pm | Bill Bennett
The Commerce Commission’s 2024 Telecommunications Monitoring Report highlights market concentration. N4L's school WiFi upgrade progress. TCF publishes emergency fact sheet. More >>
Comcom warns 2degrees over satellite marketing
Wednesday, 11 June 2025, 1:46 pm | Bill Bennett
Download Weekly May 30 2025. The Commerce Commission warns 2degrees over satellite claims; Tait bids for Vital; the TCF introduces a code to support customers needing priority services; Spark recycles laptops for schools; Xero adds iPhone tap payments More >>
Australian warship takes rural fixed wireless broadband offline
Monday, 9 June 2025, 1:54 pm | Bill Bennett
Australian warship disrupts wireless networks, Spark warns cloud adoption is stalling, Chorus updates its outage map, and 2degrees teams with Datacom. Plus: Freeview adds HD, and telcos react to proposed right-to-repair laws. More >>
Satellite TXT expands, how Egmont Village got a fibre network
Friday, 11 April 2025, 8:27 pm | Bill Bennett
This week: One NZ extends Satellite Txt to prepaid customers. In Taranaki, Primo is wiring Egmont Village with underground fibre and city-style pricing. Early wildfire detection, media law reform, and smarter traffic in Auckland. More >>
2degrees fined $325,000 for misleading ‘free’ Aussie roaming claim
Friday, 4 April 2025, 8:02 pm | Bill Bennett
This week's newsletter covers Amazon’s satellite launch, the future of 24-30 GHz spectrum. Plus, Motorola’s new budget phones, the decline of folding phones and 2degrees’ $325,000 fine. More >>
Comcom revisits fibre rules as competition intensifies
Friday, 28 March 2025, 11:19 am | Bill Bennett
The Commerce Commission kicks off a review of fibre broadband regulations to keep pace with market changes, including growing competition from wireless and satellite. Meanwhile, mobile termination rates could be deregulated after 14 years, and Apple ... More >>
Download Weekly Extra: InternetNZ disrupted
Friday, 28 March 2025, 11:15 am | Bill Bennett
Free Speech Union moves threaten to derail InternetNZ’s planned constitution update. This has implications for the non-profit’s main role managing the .nz domain registry and its other work. More >>
Apple iPad Air M3: best tablet for creators in 2025
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 2:09 pm | Bill Bennett
Sitting between the iPad and the iPad Pro, the iPad Air balances price and performance. It’s 2025’s best tablet if you want to do more than basic browsing, viewing and listening but don’t need high-end performance. This post examines the iPad Air ... More >>
Gilbertson wants action on barriers to churn
Friday, 21 March 2025, 6:08 pm | Bill Bennett
The Commerce Commission thinks it can be too hard to switch between mobile or broadband companies and that means you may be paying too much. Also in today's newsletter... NZers love working from home and it is effective, but bosses are cracking down on ... More >>
AI-driven Cyber Attacks, Ransomware Payments Rising In NZ
Saturday, 15 March 2025, 5:34 pm | Bill Bennett
Research from Kordia’s Business Cyber Security Report 2025 shows that nearly 60% of New Zealand businesses were hit by cyber-attacks in the past year, AI-powered threats and ransomware payments are top concerns. More >>
