Datagrid inks supply and installation deal with ASN, OMS for Tasman Ring Network project
NEW ZEALAND 31 JUL

Datagrid inks supply and installation deal with ASN, OMS for Tasman Ring Network project

Datagrid New Zealand has signed a supply and installation contract with Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and OMS Group (OMS) for the Tasman Ring Network, an optical submarine cable system connecting Invercargill in New Zealand's South Island with Melbourne, Australia. Under the terms of the deal, ASN will supply the submarine cable system, while OMS will carry out the marine survey and install the cable.

TVNZ launches premium sports streaming model with World Cup Event Pass
NEW ZEALAND 30 JUL

TVNZ launches premium sports streaming model with World Cup Event Pass

New Zealand broadcaster TVNZ has introduced its first paid streaming product, launching a premium TVNZ+ Event Pass for the FIFA World Cup 2026 as the broadcaster expands beyond its traditional free-to-view, advertising-supported model. The broadcaster said the tournament generated more than 20 million streams across its free and paid TVNZ+ offerings, making it the most-streamed event on the platform to date.

Sky Sport NZ to offer free streaming for All Blacks South Africa tour opener
NEW ZEALAND 30 JUL

Sky Sport NZ to offer free streaming for All Blacks South Africa tour opener

Sky Sport New Zealand will make the opening match of the All Blacks' South Africa tour available free via Sky Sport Now as part of its coverage plans for the 2026 tour. In partnership with New Zealand Rugby, fans will be able to register for a free Sky Sport Now day pass to watch the opening fixture against the Stormers on 8 August. Registration opens on 1 August. Sky said it will provide live coverage of all matches on the tour, including the four-Test series against South Africa, across Sky Sport and Sky

Tuatahi First Fibre partners with Cure Kids to support child health research
NEW ZEALAND 30 JUL

Tuatahi First Fibre partners with Cure Kids to support child health research

New Zealand wholesale fibre network operator Tuatahi First Fibre has announced a partnership with child health research charity Cure Kids. Under the agreement, Tuatahi will become an associate partner of Cure Kids, providing financial support, fundraising initiatives and awareness campaigns to support the charity's research into serious childhood illnesses.

Australia takes Telegram to court over terrorist content
AUSTRALIA 30 JUL

Australia takes Telegram to court over terrorist content

Australia's eSafety Commissioner has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the federal court against Telegram, alleging the messaging platform failed to meet its obligations under the Online Safety Act 2021 to detect and remove terrorist content and other unlawful material. Following a year-long investigation, eSafety alleges Telegram breached systemic safety obligations under the Relevant Electronic Services Standard by failing to remove publicly posted pro-terror material after becoming aware of it. 

Singtel confirms Optus stake talks following Morrison bid reports
AUSTRALIA 30 JUL

Singtel confirms Optus stake talks following Morrison bid reports

Singtel has confirmed it is in discussions with potential investors regarding the sale of a minority stake in Optus, responding to media speculation after reports that New Zealand infrastructure investor Morrison is pursuing a significant investment in Australia's second-largest operator. In a filing to the Singapore Exchange, Singtel said it was "currently in discussions with interested parties" but stressed there was "no certainty or assurance" that any transaction would proceed. The operator said it woul

Ericsson to provide private 5G for Queensland rail communications upgrade
AUSTRALIA 30 JUL

Ericsson to provide private 5G for Queensland rail communications upgrade

Ericsson has announced it will supply the 5G-enabled Digital Radio System (DRS) technology for the first stage of Queensland's next-generation rail communications network, following the Queensland Government's selection of a consortium comprising Ericsson, UGL Transport and Frequentis for the project. Awarded by the Queensland Government, the contract covers the deployment of the Digital Radio System as part of Stage 1 of The Wave, a public transport and rail infrastructure programme connecting Brisbane and

ACMA launches federal court action against Optus for triple zero outage
AUSTRALIA 30 JUL

ACMA launches federal court action against Optus for triple zero outage

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has commenced federal court proceedings against Optus Mobile, alleging the operator breached emergency call obligations during a network outage in September 2025 that disrupted some users' access to the triple zero emergency call service. The regulator alleges Optus contravened two legal obligations on 1,005 occasions during the outage by failing to provide end users making emergency calls with access to the emergency call service and by failing to en

BAI appoints Angela Coble as chief information & transformation officer
AUSTRALIA 30 JUL

BAI appoints Angela Coble as chief information & transformation officer

BAI Communications has appointed Dr Angela Coble as chief information & transformation Officer, a newly created executive role that takes effect on 14 September 2026. Coble joins BAI from the Australian Energy Market Operator and will become a member of the company's executive leadership Team, reporting to chief executive officer Peter Lambourne. She has more than 20 years of senior technology leadership experience across the government, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.

Australian ministers split over national AI data centre energy rules
AUSTRALIA 29 JUL

Australian ministers split over national AI data centre energy rules

Australian energy ministers have agreed to advance a national framework for regulating the energy use of large-scale AI data centres, despite opposition from Queensland and the Northern Territory over key elements of the proposed reforms. At a meeting of the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council, ministers agreed to progress measures designed to ensure the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure does not increase electricity costs for consumers or place additional pressure on the power grid.

2degrees becomes New Zealand Rugby's official telecom partner
NEW ZEALAND 29 JUL

2degrees becomes New Zealand Rugby's official telecom partner

New Zealand operator 2degrees has signed a three-year partnership with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to become the organisation's Official Telecommunications Partner, while also supporting women's rugby programmes from development level through to the Black Ferns. The partnership covers the Black Ferns, Black Ferns XV, Black Ferns Sevens and New Zealand Under 18 Girls programmes. It also extends 2degrees' existing sponsorship of the four Sky Super Rugby Aupiki clubs.

Telstra expands satellite-to-mobile service to selected apps
AUSTRALIA 29 JUL

Telstra expands satellite-to-mobile service to selected apps

Telstra has expanded its satellite-to-mobile service to support selected apps, allowing eligible customers with compatible devices to use services including Apple Maps, Google Maps, AllTrails, WhatsApp, iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Signal, Google Messages and weather applications when outside the operator's mobile network coverage. The service, launched in collaboration with Starlink, is available when a compatible device is connected to Telstra Satellite and has a clear line of sight to the sky. 

AUSTRALIA 29 JUL

ACMA data shows telco complaint resolution improves as TIO referrals edge lower

Australian operators are resolving customer complaints faster and referring fewer of them to the industry ombudsman, according to the latest quarterly data from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The regulator said 33 telecommunications providers reported more than 184,000 consumer complaints during the January to March quarter. Operators resolved complaints in an average of 5.3 days, down from 5.9 days in the previous quarter, while 7.2 percent of complaints were referred to the Tele

NEW ZEALAND 29 JUL

One NZ research highlights sustainability concerns around business AI use

New research commissioned by One New Zealand has found that environmental and social impacts are emerging as factors in public trust in AI, alongside established concerns around privacy and transparency. The One NZ AI Trust Report 2026: Sustainability Edition found that 45 percent of New Zealanders were concerned about the environmental impact of businesses using AI, rising to 63 percent among those aged 18 to 24. The main environmental concerns were electricity consumption, cited by 66 percent of responden

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 28 JUL

Telikom PNG and government expand digital public infrastructure

Telikom PNG has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to accelerate Papua New Guinea's digital modernisation through joint infrastructure development. The partnership focuses on expanding Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), with an emphasis on digital identity systems, e-government services and emerging technologies to broaden nationwide connectivity.

AUSTRALIA 27 JUL

Macquarie Cloud Services launches SOC for Australasian universities

Macquarie Cloud Services has launched a Security Operations Centre (SOC) for universities and research institutions in Australasia, with the service aimed at helping institutions strengthen cybersecurity ahead of an October deadline. The SOC will provide onshore, 24-hour monitoring and support from security-cleared engineers, with a focus on threats including insider activity, nation-state actors and vulnerabilities associated with legacy ICT equipment.

AUSTRALIA 27 JUL

Australia's AusAlert test exceeds coverage target, reaches 94% of cell towers

Australia's first nationwide test of the AusAlert cell broadcast emergency warning system exceeded its coverage target, with 94 percent of targeted mobile cell towers successfully transmitting the alert during Monday's exercise. Emergency management minister Kristy McBain said the result surpassed the National Emergency Management Agency's (NEMA) benchmark of 90 percent and demonstrated the system's ability to deliver near-instant emergency warnings nationwide.

NEW ZEALAND 27 JUL

Spark launches strategic review of Digital Services division

Spark New Zealand has launched a strategic review of its Digital Services division as part of its SPK-30 strategy, while reorganising the business into separate Connectivity and Digital Services divisions. The company said the review will assess options to maximise shareholder value, with no certainty it will result in a transaction. The new organisational structure is intended to sharpen execution by separating Spark's core connectivity operations from its cloud, IT services and adjacent digital businesses

AUSTRALIA 27 JUL

Equinix appoints former Vocus exec Jarrod Nink to lead Australian business

Equinix has appointed former Vocus executive Jarrod Nink as managing director for Australia, with responsibility for the company's local operations, strategy, customer growth and data centre portfolio. Based in Sydney, Nink will oversee Equinix's 18 data centres across six Australian metropolitan markets and report to Cyrus Adaggra, president, Asia-Pacific at Equinix.

NEW ZEALAND 24 JUL

Regulator proposes ending regulation of mobile tower colocation in New Zealand

The New Zealand Commerce Commission has provisionally concluded that regulation of mobile tower colocation is no longer necessary, recommending that the service be removed from Schedule 1 of the Telecommunications Act 2001 following changes in the country's mobile infrastructure market. The draft recommendation follows an investigation launched earlier this year and reflects the Commission's view that the conditions that originally justified regulation have materially changed. 

NEW ZEALAND 24 JUL

Chorus copper network nears end as fewer than 1,000 lines remain in fibre areas

Fewer than 1,000 copper connections remain across New Zealand wholesale operator Chorus's and other local fibre companies' fibre footprints in New Zealand, as the country's transition from copper to fibre nears completion. Chorus said 9,000 copper lines were disconnected during the fourth quarter of its 2026 financial year, leaving approximately 44,000 copper connections nationwide at the end of June. However, just 743 copper lines remained within Chorus' own fibre footprint and a further 254 in the fibre a

AUSTRALIA 24 JUL

NTT Data launches Sydney innovation centre focused on AI adoption

NTT Data has launched the Innovation Centre Australia (ICA) in Sydney, establishing a local facility as part of its global research and development ecosystem for work with organisations across Australia and New Zealand. The centre is intended to support collaboration between NTT Data, clients, partners, public sector organisations, academic institutions and start-ups, with a focus on moving AI and other emerging technologies from proof-of-concept trials into enterprise deployment.

AUSTRALIA 24 JUL

Activeport raises AUD 3.6 mln to fund product development and growth

Australian network automation software provider Activeport Group has secured commitments for a AUD 3.63 million placement to institutional and sophisticated investors, including Antipodes Partners, Scobie Ward and existing shareholder MWP Partners. The placement will involve the issue of 242.27 million new fully paid ordinary shares at AUD 0.015 each. The placement will be completed in two tranches. Settlement of the new shares is scheduled for 31 July 2026, with allotment expected on 3 August. A shareholde

NEW ZEALAND 24 JUL

New Zealand ISPs call for LEOsat regulation amid Starlink growth

The Internet Service Providers Association of New Zealand (ISPANZ) has called for greater regulation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite providers, arguing that Starlink's rapid growth could weaken competition and reduce the resilience of New Zealand's telecommunications infrastructure. In an open letter to the regulator, ISPANZ said the Commerce Commission should undertake a market study of the country's changing connectivity market. The association said Starlink had become the largest rural ISP and that fu

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