Telecom

Spark New Zealand (formerly Telecom New Zealand) is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider (CSP), providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider (through its subsidiary Xtra), and a major ICT provider to NZ businesses (through its Spark Digital division). It has operated as a publicly traded company since 1990. Spark is one of the largest companies by value on the New Zealand Exchange (NZX). Further, it is the 39th largest telecommunications company in the OECD. Telecom New Zealand was formed in 1987 from a division of the New Zealand Post Office and privatised in 1990. In 2008, Telecom was operationally separated into three divisions under local loop unbundling initiatives by central government Telecom Retail; Telecom Wholesale; and Chorus, the network infrastructure division. This separation effectively ended any remnants of monopoly that Telecom Retail once had in the market. In 2011 the demerger process was complete, with Telecom and Chorus becoming separate listed companies. On 8 August 2014, the company changed its name to Spark New Zealand.