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NZ Herald
05-08-2025
- NZ Herald
When cell towers fail, Kiwis turn to the skies
When Cyclone Gabrielle tore through Aotearoa, and again when Cyclone Tam lashed the upper North Island, something became frighteningly clear: traditional mobile networks can go dark when disaster strikes, sometimes for many days. Power lines collapse. Roads wash out. Cell towers get damaged. This means, in a moment when communication is everything, New Zealanders are cut off. Aotearoa needs a resilient back-up to on-the-ground mobile network, which One NZ Satellite is providing. Cyclone Gabrielle was a turning point for One NZ. It was the catalyst that accelerated its partnership with SpaceX to bring satellite-to-mobile connectivity to New Zealanders when they need it most. This could be during a widespread disaster, or a personal tragedy, such as a car crash or accident in a state highway mobile blackspot. One NZ's collaboration with SpaceX leverages the Starlink satellite network to provide direct-to-mobile text messaging wherever you can see the sky, even when traditional cell towers are down. This service isn't intended to replace the existing mobile network but acts as a vital safety net, a backup that can save lives during disasters. 'We're talking about potentially saving lives,' says Joe Goddard, One NZ's Chief Experience & Commercial Officer. 'Whether it's a massive cyclone or a solo hiker stuck in the backcountry , this technology gives people a lifeline. Over in the US, during Hurricane Milton and the Los Angeles wildfires, the service came into its own – and more recently, and closer to home, during the Nelson-Tasman flooding.' Since its launch in December, One NZ customers on an eligible phone and plan have sent more than 2.7 million text messages and counting via satellite. As Goddard says, 'These are messages that otherwise wouldn't have made it out. Our team has worked incredibly hard to ensure New Zealand was the first country globally to launch a satellite-to-mobile texting service with Starlink, and the benefits are obvious.' Cyclone Tam: A real-world test During Cyclone Tam in April, the system faced a significant real-world test. After widespread outages on the traditional mobile network, the One NZ team sprang into action. Within hours, satellite texting was enabled for more than one million customers in the affected North Island regions. Text message traffic surged 500% on the service. 'It was immediate,' says Goddard. 'We saw people in areas without traditional mobile coverage coming online via satellite and sending text messages almost instantly. This is exactly why we partnered with Starlink on this truly revolutionary technology.' But even in the absence of such a disaster, the rapidly growing volume of One NZ text messages being delivered via satellite reveals the extent to which Kiwis live, work and play outside terrestrial coverage. 'Around 40% of Aotearoa doesn't have traditional mobile coverage. We've changed that with satellite texting, and the service continues to improve with message send times on eligible phones now at around 30 seconds on average,' Goddard says. Lessons learned and the road ahead Cyclone Tam's response has given One NZ valuable insights for future emergencies, and more recently, the service was put to good use during flooding in the Nelson-Tasman region, where texts surged 2000% when traditional networks were interrupted in Golden Bay. The company is now exploring ways to make the service even more accessible by expanding phone compatibility so more New Zealanders on an eligible One NZ mobile plan can connect via satellite. Currently 59 phones can take advantage of satellite texting with an eligible plan. One NZ is also working with government agencies to explore how to integrate civil defence broadcasts and other emergency notifications into the satellite service, further enhancing its value as a disaster response tool. Another example of a potentially life-saving application that uses the One NZ Satellite text service is EcoOnline's StaySafe Lone Worker, provided by innovative Kiwi company Secure Mobility. StaySafe uses One NZ Satellite as a reliable communication channel. This allows lone workers to access all the safety features of the StaySafe solution wherever they can see the sky, including panic and fall alerts, welfare checks and duress alarms, when outside of the traditional cellular range, without the need for additional hardware. An extra layer of resilience and safety As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, the need for robust, resilient communications is only growing. One NZ's partnership with SpaceX positions the company as a global leader in disaster connectivity. Its experience is already informing telcos in Australia and the US, and the ongoing collaboration with SpaceX ensures that the service will continue to evolve rapidly. Says Goddard: 'The reality is, we're never going to be able to build on-the-ground digital infrastructure and networks that never fail, no matter how big a battery you put on a cell site. With increasing weather volatility, sometimes fibre or power lines are cut, which can take time to repair. 'Really, if you work in a remote location or support communities during emergencies, then satellite coverage or access via a backup SIM card should be an essential part of your toolkit.'
NZ Herald
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
One NZ's Satellite TXT used to hail emergency services after crash in mobile blackspot
'When we arrived. she was trying to get out of the vehicle and there was no cell coverage to call for help,' Bell said. 'I texted my partner in Auckland and asked him to phone emergency services and sent him my location. Police and a fire truck arrived in about 20 minutes. 'I also gave my phone to the driver to text her dad and tell him what had happened and that she was ok,' Bell said. 'Thankfully, the driver wasn't seriously injured, just really shaken. But I was very grateful to have satellite text to get some help.' One NZ's Satellite TXT uses SpaceX's Starlink network to provide coverage for the 40% of New Zealand's landmass that isn't covered by cellular networks, plus up to 12 nautical miles (22.2km) or NZ's territorial limit. Line-of-sight to the sky is required. Bell is well-placed to appreciate the advance. She's worked for Spark, 2degrees, Apple and now One NZ as an enterprise lead. One millionth text through space One launched Satellite TXT shortly before Christmas, making it one of the first telco's in the world to go live with Starlink's new service. Recent expansions have seen pre-pay customers and recent Apple iPhones added to the mix (see the full list of compatible handsets and plans here). Voice calling and data is expected to be added later this year as SpaceX launches more mobile-to-cell capable satellites. Once voice calling is live, One NZ will support satellite calls for customers of any network. Emergency services also offer 111 by text for those with hearing or speech difficulties who pre-register. One NZ's Satellite TXT supports that accessibility option (which, as with an emergency text via the regular cellular network, is only available for a customer's home network). One NZ opened Satellite TXT to all customers north of Hamilton during Cyclone Tam. Earlier this week, One NZ customer experience director Joe Goddard said more than one million messages have been sent via satellite so far. 'With morean 500 Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capability now in orbit, we've seen a dramatic improvement in the time it takes for a message to send or receive through space,' Goddard said. 'The vast majority of messages are now sent and received within three minutes, with most in a minute or less.' The response times are expected to improve as more satellites are launched. One NZ has an NZ-exclusive deal with Starlink for an undisclosed period of time. The service is free for those on pay-monthly accounts, and free for a trial period (expected to expire at some point before year's end) for pre-pay customers. Pre-pay customers will pay $5 per month after the free trial ends. Other options Owners of recent iPhones (be they on One NZ, Spark or 2degrees) also have the option of using Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite service, which uses the GlobalStar satellite network, which it part-owns (and which is one of Rocket Lab's largest single customers). Apple's service had a successful real-life workout when it was used by two hikers stranded in Arthur's Pass, outside traditional mobile coverage. Apple has opened its satellite service for general messaging in North America, but as yet has no timetable for expanding it beyond emergency service for other territories. Meanwhile, 2degrees and Spark have recently inked deals with Starlink rival AST SpaceMobile - a better-funded, more advanced option than their initial punt, Lynk. Service is expected to begin next year.
Techday NZ
23-04-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
One NZ satellite texting hits one million message milestone
One NZ has reached a milestone of more than one million text messages sent via its satellite service in less than four months since launch. The service, called One NZ Satellite, enabled over a million messages to be sent free of charge, providing coverage in areas previously without connectivity. This included a period during Cyclone Tam, when the service was made available to over one million customers as an emergency measure. According to Joe Goddard, Experience and Commercial Director at One NZ, the achievement highlights the impact of satellite messaging on daily life for individuals and businesses. Goddard said, "A million messages is an epic milestone. That's a million times a Kiwi or Kiwi business has stayed in touch with a friend, colleague, or loved one when they previously couldn't, or stayed safer while enjoying our incredible country, or more productive as they get information that otherwise would have had to wait. "These single moments all add up to a safer, more resilient and more productive New Zealand." The company has broadened access to the service by increasing the number of compatible phones from an initial handful to nearly 30 different handsets, with plans to add more. The service is now open to customers on Prepay as well as Pay Monthly plans. Goddard described the process of expanding compatibility, stating, "We started with a handful of devices, and through the hard work of our testing and network engineering teams, we tested new phones up and down the country before we certified them for satellite texting. We're now nearing 30 different handsets that you can use, with more planned." The satellite texting capability relies on Starlink Direct to Cell satellites, operated by One NZ's partner, SpaceX. Over 500 Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell functions are now in orbit. The company reports that the increase in satellites has led to significant improvements in the speed of message delivery. Goddard commented, "With over 500 Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capability now in orbit, we've seen a dramatic improvement in the time it takes for a message to send or receive through space. The vast majority of messages are now sent and received within three minutes, with most in a minute or less." One NZ has highlighted the role of its satellite network in providing an extra layer of resilience for communications during extreme weather events or power outages that affect mobile coverage. The satellite service offers an alternative for maintaining connectivity when ground-based networks are down. "If you're a One NZ customer who values connectivity in a crisis, One NZ is the only place to be. With the service getting faster, more widely available, and now on Prepay as well on a plan, there's never been a better time to try texting through space," Goddard said. The expansion of the service and the uptake from customers follows its emergency use during Cyclone Tam, when thousands of texts were sent as part of the response to loss of traditional coverage. Tara Tran, a One NZ staff member, described one use case in which she relied on the satellite service to keep in contact with her children while they camped on a hilltop above Goat Island, demonstrating the practical application of the technology for New Zealand users.
