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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: Satellites to back-up Spark mobile backhaul
Sunday, 3 December 2023, 11:44 am | Digitl
Spark turns to Starlink for back-up mobile backhaul and tests text by satellite. One NZ customer support draws on AWS AI More >>
Download Weekly: MyRepublic Mobile reborn as Rocket Mobile
Tuesday, 28 November 2023, 10:09 am | Digitl
MyRepublic becomes Rocket Mobile, Customer services quality tests new lows, ComCom on customer service work. Rural broadband build nears end. More >>
A review of NZ telecommunications regulatory challenges
Friday, 17 November 2023, 11:37 am | Digitl
Today's Download Weekly newsletter focuses on an extensive interview with Telecommunications Commissioner Tristan Gilbertson and his team at the Commerce Commission. More >>
Download Weekly - Rural expansion in Chorus Capex plan
Friday, 10 November 2023, 6:52 pm | Digitl
Chorus capex plans rural expansion, resilience investment. Moving faster on copper withdrawal. Data traffic peaks. More >>
Download Weekly: NCSC defended major telco cyber attack
Friday, 3 November 2023, 8:27 pm | Digitl
The National Cyber Security Centre says it disrupted an attack on a mobile operator. One New Zealand to buy Dense Air's 5G spectrum. More >>
Apple M3 chips widen gap with Intel
Wednesday, 1 November 2023, 12:25 pm | Digitl
Let’s start with the most trivial remark: It was the first live streamed Apple launch to take place during New Zealand working hours. We’ve been trained to associate a live Apple launch with sleep deprivation. Being alert throughout is a new experience. More >>
Twitter one year on – decline and fool
Friday, 27 October 2023, 5:50 pm | Digitl
That's not a spelling error. Musk has done some dumb things with Twitter by any standard. More >>
Download Weekly – Tuatahi First Fibre buys Unison Fibre
Friday, 27 October 2023, 5:45 pm | Digitl
In this week's newsletter: Tuatahi First Fibre acquires Unison Fibre, Kordia to sell Starlink, TCF report, draft TDL allocation More >>
Download Weekly: Adroit buy boosts Spark's IoT push
Friday, 20 October 2023, 6:39 pm | Digitl
Spark acquires Adroit environmental monitoring business. Chorus' low cost fibre plan momentum. Kiwis to test Twitter/X charging. More >>
Testing Apple’s FineWoven material the Kiwi way
Wednesday, 18 October 2023, 1:30 pm | Digitl
FineWoven is an Apple brand name for what it calls a ‘premium’ material. The company uses it to replace leather as it pushes to polish its carbon neutral credentials. It’s a fine sentiment, but FineWoven is controversial. More >>
iPhone 15 review - a solid upgrade with few surprises
Wednesday, 18 October 2023, 1:17 pm | Digitl
There are few surprises in the iPhone 15 Plus. Many of the features that separate the 15 Plus from the iPhone 14 Plus were first introduced last year in the iPhone Pro models. More >>
Download Weekly: TDR complaints soar
Sunday, 15 October 2023, 12:55 pm | Digitl
The Telecommunications Dispute Resolution scheme's publicity campaign pays off. The PC market stays gloomy but analysts say a recovery is coming. More >>
Download Weekly: Spark's Innovation Studio makeover
Friday, 6 October 2023, 6:19 pm | Digitl
Spark updates its Innovation Studio as it hits 1.5m IoT connections. One NZ offers a customer service dashboard. Pacific Islands telco to move from Huawei kit. More >>
Is Microsoft Surface still competitive?
Sunday, 1 October 2023, 1:42 pm | Digitl
Yesterday’s post What is going on with Microsoft Surface? looks at the rapid recent decline in the device’s fortunes. This follow up explores less obvious reasons why Microsoft is selling fewer Surfaces. More >>
Digital piracy make a comeback
Sunday, 1 October 2023, 1:37 pm | Digitl
Piracy came close to disappearing, then streaming companies decided to push for better margins. Guess what happened next? More >>
Download Weekly - Vocus brands refund $480k
Sunday, 1 October 2023, 1:31 pm | Digitl
In this week's newsletter: Vocus brands refund broadband plus power cancellation fees. UK research says NZ mobile data among world's most expensive. More >>
What is going on with Microsoft Surface?
Wednesday, 27 September 2023, 11:25 am | Digitl
Almost overnight demand for Microsoft’s Surface range of devices has dried up. What’s going on? More >>
Download Weekly: NZ schools enter satellite age
Saturday, 23 September 2023, 6:53 pm | Digitl
NZ schools enter the satellite age with Network for Learning. ComCom weighs in on confusing bundled offers. Tuanz asks next government to help with tech talent. More >>
Download Weekly: iPhone 15 launches, faces China challenge
Saturday, 16 September 2023, 1:24 pm | Digitl
iPhone 15 models surface as China fears hit Apple share price, Tuanz calls on next government to boost online security, Starlink revenue More >>
Starlink satellite broadband impact on New Zealand
Friday, 8 September 2023, 8:22 pm | Digitl
SpaceX has achieved much since it launched its Starlink low earth orbit satellite broadband service in 2020. More >>
