Spark New Zealand (SPK) Investor Day 2025 summary

Strategic direction and market context

• New five-year strategy centers on core connectivity, prioritizing network, customer experience, and people, with capital allocation focused on these areas.

• Economic headwinds in New Zealand, including reduced spending and increased competition, prompted an early strategy reset and transformation program.

• Maintained market leadership in mobile and broadband, with high customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• Board renewal and succession planning underway, with new directors bringing expertise in telecom, finance, and infrastructure.

• Ongoing demand for data and connectivity, with technology advancements creating new opportunities.

Core business focus and growth levers

• Mobile remains the largest revenue and margin contributor, with leadership in high-value segments and a multi-brand approach for value and premium markets.

• Wireless broadband is a key growth area, supported by 5G rollout (50% coverage), with plans to expand further and increase bundling to improve retention.

• Business connectivity (mobile, managed data, IoT, collaboration, voice) is being modernized, with a focus on transitioning customers from legacy to advanced solutions.

• Data center partnership with PEP secures funding for a 130MW+ pipeline, with Spark retaining a 25% stake and proceeds reducing net debt.

• Capital allocation prioritised to core connectivity: mobile, broadband, and business connectivity.

Technology, AI, and innovation

• Accelerated adoption of AI and digital solutions, with global partnerships (Nokia, Ericsson, Salesforce, Microsoft) to drive efficiency, automation, and customer experience.

• AI investment has automated manual tasks, reduced call center volumes by 20%, and enabled advanced customer targeting and network management.

• Leading in 5G Standalone deployment, enabling advanced solutions like network slicing, private networks, and commercialization opportunities in enterprise and API-based offerings.

• Exploring new commercial models such as Network-as-a-Service and global API aggregation.

• Satellite-to-mobile service launching in 2026 to enhance coverage and resilience, with future monetization options under consideration.