What the new Spark booths are supposed to look like. IMAGE: SPARK A standoff between Spark and New Zealand’s biggest council is holding up new modernised phone booths being installed as the old booths disappear. Spark has not given up on the new booths but says it needs Auckland to be included for the new booths to be financially viable. Spark chief brand and corporate affairs officer Leela Ashford said Spark had operated phone booths in New Zealand for more than 40 years, but they have now reached end of life. As copper was retired, the booths would be disconnected and removed unless there’s a viable way to replace them with a modernised version, connected with fibre. Chorus was going round the country disconnecting the phones leading to some being connected and others not. Spark had 1700 phone booths nationwide. About 1000 of them have already been disconnected due to Chorus copper withdrawal. In Otago/Southland there were 124 phone booths, with 28 still working. Ms Ashford said Spark was not required to operate phone booths, and does not receive government funding to do so, but it still sees value in public connectivity — particularly for vulnerable communities and for access to social and emergency services. ‘‘Overseas experience shows they’re used far more than people expect. In Australia, Telstra reported more than 25 million calls made in a year from upgraded payphones once calling was made free, including more than 300,000 emergency calls.’’ An old Spark booth in Cumberland St yesterday. PHOTO: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Spark had proposed a smaller network of modern phone booths — about 400 nationwide — delivered through a commercial partnership with Ooh! Media. Digital advertising would fund the initial capital investment and ongoing operation of the booths and would enable free calling and Wi-Fi for the public, as well as better resilience in emergencies, with some satellite-enabled. Councils would also get free space for public messaging, including during Civil Defence emergencies. She said the programme was on hold because Spark had not been able to reach agreement in Auckland Council and Auckland Transport. ‘‘Auckland matters because without it the national rollout isn’t financially viable, and that means communities across the rest of the country miss out too. We’ve asked the government to clarify the Telecommunications Act so there’s certainty for everyone, and we’re waiting to hear back.’’ Auckland Council director of group strategy Max Hardy said Auckland council staff have engaged with Spark on a proposal to modernise telephone booths, which included the installation of commercial digital billboards on public footpaths. The council provided guidance on how proposals of this kind could be progressed. While, as a result of Auckland’s transport reform programme, decision-making responsibilities in this area will transition to Auckland Council, the key decisions on this still sit with Auckland Transport (AT). No formal application has yet been made to AT. If Spark wishes to progress the proposal any further, the council and AT staff were open to further discussions and guidance. ‘‘The council is open to innovative proposals that make good use of public space and deliver benefits for Aucklanders. Public space is valuable and in high demand, and we aim to balance different uses while continuing to look for better and more creative ways to use it.’’ he said.
