Business Broadband

Fibre Setup Credit offer

1. $150 one off account credit available to new Spark Fibre connections on 24 month term
2. Only one setup credit per fibre connection.

Mobile Discount offer

1. $5 credit on one eligible Spark Business mobile billed on the same account as the Business Bundle.
2. The eligible mobile must be connected on a Spark Business or Business+ mobile plan.
3. Mobile discount finishes at the end of the first 24 months or if the Business Bundle or mobile plan terminates before that time.

McAfee Security Suite

Spark Security Suite powered by McAfee is only compatible with Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 or higher (32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows 7, 8, 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit) operating systems. 2GB RAM is required and ensure you have 500MB free drive space and at least a 1GHz processor.

Free Static IP

A free Static IP address is not automatically assigned to a broadband line. This must be requested at the time of connection.

Free modem and standard connection

Available on 24 month contract. Additional charges may apply for non-standard installations. $13.00 (GST exclusive) modem postage and handling fees apply.

Availability

There are a number of factors that can affect whether or not you can get Spark broadband at your premises as well as the stability and performance of your Spark connection. We do not guarantee service until installation is complete and your line has been tested.

Speed

Stated speeds are based on theoretical maximums, and actual speeds will be affected by various factors including NZ and overseas networks, your modem and computer technology including WiFi capability, internal wiring and other environmental factors. Find out more

Spark broadband, wireless and business terms and conditions apply.

Exceeding the broadband monthly data

Fibre, ADSL & VDSL Additional Data Charges

Any additional data used above your plan allocation will be charged at $2.00 per GB.

Wireless Broadband Additional Data Charges

If you reach your monthly data cap, you will automatically receive 10GB of additional data for $10. Once you exceed this, you can purchase an additional 10GB Data Extra pack for $10 through MySpark.

Unlimited calling

Unlimited plan is for standard business purposes only, excludes contact centres, continuous call forwarding and the like. Limited to businesses with 20 or less lines per site.

Unlimited national calling is for standard person to person calls to standard landline and mobile numbers in New Zealand.

Contract terms

Charging for Spark broadband starts once your service is connected to our network.

24-month contracts
Fibre, ADSL & VDSL Business Bundles

A 24-month contract applies to all business customers taking up a Business Bundle with a free modem and standard connection.

If you sign up with Spark broadband on a 24-month contract, and your service is disconnected before the completion of that minimum contract period, you will be charged an early termination fee of $299.

If your business moves premises and you connect Spark broadband at your new location, no early termination fee applies. If you need to make changes to your connection based on services available at your new address, you may be required to enter into a new broadband contract for 24 months.

24-month contracts
Wireless Business Bundles & Naked Broadband plans

A 24-month contract applies to all business customers taking up a Wireless Business Bundle or any Naked plan with a free modem and standard connection.

If you sign up with Spark broadband on a 24 month contract, and your service is disconnected before the completion of that minimum contract period, you will be charged an early termination fee of $199.

If your business moves premises and you connect Spark broadband at your new location, no early termination fee applies. If you need to make changes to your connection based on services available at your new address, you may be required to enter into a new broadband contract for 24 months.

Changing broadband plans

When you change your broadband plan and don’t require a modem or additional work to complete your broadband connection at the premises. You won’t need to sign a new contract and can continue with any existing broadband contract already in effect. Applicable early termination fees apply to any existing contracts.

Online billing

Spark has moved to online billing, so we ask that you ensure you are set up for an online bill when you sign up for broadband.

Full terms & conditions

Please see full terms and conditions for further details. Spark broadband, wireless and business terms and conditions apply.

Calling options

Your business landline comes with pay-as-you-go calling and a range of great value add-ons. If calling is important to your business the 500 minute calling pack for calls to NZ numbers can be purchased for $20 (GST exclusive). For Fibre and Wireless Landlines or business bundles the 500 minute calling pack includes calls to 20 international destinations.

The Spark modems

Sign up with Spark on a 24-month contract and we'll supply a free top-spec modem if you need one. We have two models and which one you get depends on your connection type. If you prefer to use your own modem you can do that too, you’ll just need to check it’s configured for our network

Naked Broadband

Quite simply, 'naked' is broadband only. You don't get a landline or phone number with naked broadband.  If you have a monitored alarm, medical alarm, fax, or order pay per view movies, these services will no longer work without a landline. If you need those services, Naked Broadband will not be for you.

Ultra Fast Fibre

How fast are the Ultra Fibre plans?

Ultra Fibre 100 has the ability to deliver Fibre speeds up to 100Mbps downstream and 100Mbps upstream. Ultra Fibre Gigatown which is only available in Dunedin and Ultra FibreMAX can provide amazing speeds up to 900Mbps downstream and 400Mbps upstream.

Actual speeds will be affected by various factors including NZ and overseas networks, your modem and computer technology, internal business wiring and other environmental factors.

Standard Fibre installation

Sign up on a 24-month contract and we'll do this for free. The standard Fibre installation should suit most New Zealand businesses and requires a technician from your Local Fibre Company to carry out work at your premise. They will make sure you understand what's required and won't start any work unless you're happy with what's proposed.

It includes all the work needed to connect your business to the Fibre running down the street:

• Installing the Fibre cable from the street through to your business (depending on the method used, this can range from 50m to 200m of cabling from roadside curb to your premise).
• Installing and connecting the necessary equipment outside (the ETP) and inside (the ONT) your premise.
• Making sure the Fibre service is running and disconnecting the copper broadband connection to your premise.
• Your Local Fibre Company staff will do their best to minimise any impact on grassed areas and if hard surfaces are affected, they will be resealed.

Non-standard installation

You'll need this if your business premise is (depending on the standard method used) more than 50m, 100m or 200m from the Fibre access point on the street. Or if you decide to install your fibre modem in a different place from the ONT and need additional wiring as a result.

The Local Fibre Company staff will let you know if your premise needs a non-standard installation and what that's likely to cost before they start any work.

If you require your Fibre Landline service to be connected to your existing premise wiring and jackpoints you will need to stipulate this when you order the service. This will allow you to continue to use any devices that are connected to the business jackpoints such as extra phones, monitored alarms, faxes, EFTPOS and set top boxes. The cost to do this wiring work is $49.

What if I have a monitored alarm or other analogue devices that use a phone line?

When we connect you to Fibre we will disconnect your copper phone line (if you have one) and replace it with a fibre based phone service (or no phone service if you go Naked).

This will affect the functionality of services such as medical and monitored alarms, faxes, EFTPOS or set top boxes that use the existing copper phone connection to communicate, so please make sure your equipment is compatible with a Fibre Landline by contacting the manufacturer or arranging for a test call to be made before the copper is disconnected.

How does scheduling my installation work?

We will submit your desired appointment date and time to the Local Fibre Company who will carry out the installation. If this date/time is not available we will let you know and request a new appointment. The installer usually arrives between 8am and 11am and you will need to be home on the day you choose.

Getting the installation work done

You may need to allow a full day for the work to be done and you'll also need to be available on-site as the installation team will be working both inside and outside of your premise.

Don't worry though. The installation team will make sure you understand what's required and they won't start any work unless you are happy with what's being proposed.

Equipment

There are three pieces of equipment you need installed at your business premise:

• External Termination Point (ETP) - this will likely to be installed next to the current copper external termination point, which is typically outside your premise.
• Optical Network Terminal (ONT). The ONT is another small box, but this time it's attached to a wall inside your premise. It's the place where you'll plug in your new modem, its also where your fibre landline will be connected. There are a number of considerations as to what the best location will be for the ONT. These include access to power points, whether you wish to continue to use your existing phone wiring for fibre landline therefore requiring proximity to an existing jackpoint. For internet use where you'll make most use of the internet, perhaps near a centrally located computer. The installation team will discuss these options with you.
• A Fibre WiFi modem - we will courier you the modem before the installation, so you'll just need to have it on hand when the work starts.

Ducting on your property

If your business premise was built after 1987 and has underground ducting, there's a good chance the ducting which carries your current phone line can also be used to carry a new Fibre connection.

If it was built before 1987 it's more likely to need new ducting. This means a trench will need to be dug to install the ducting. The trench may be dug by the Local Fibre Company, or they may ask for you to organise this yourself. This will be determined at the time of the install. Installers will do their best to minimise the impact on any grass areas and if hard surfaces are affected they will be resealed. Local Fibre Companies have said they will also attempt to reinstate these areas to the previous standard but this is not guaranteed; especially where specific hard services are used (e.g. matching concrete patina, paving stones).

Renting / Multi Dwelling Units / Right of ways

If you're renting the property, part of an apartment block, unit or in a subdivision where you share the title with other properties, or if you are situated somewhere where Fibre needs to go over someone else's land to get to your property from the street we may ask you for extra information. If they need to dig a trench, the Local Fibre Company will need to gain permission from all affected landowners. They will provide all of the necessary paperwork if it's required though.

Things to think about before installation

Where do you want to put your ONT and new WiFi Fibre modem? Ideally these should go in a central location close to a powerpoint for good WiFi coverage and close to a jackpoint if you wish to continue to use your premise wiring for fibre landline. If finding a spot that meets all your needs is tricky you may need to pay for some additional wiring. The installation staff can discuss this with you in more detail.

We encourage you to review the end user terms provided by your, company, before your installation date as you will need to agree to these before the work starts. View terms.

What to expect on the day

An installer will arrive at your premise and talk you through what work is required to get your Fibre connection up and running:

• Talking through the installation and any work that needs to be done to your property.
• Agreeing to your Local Fibre Company's End user terms. View terms.
• Setting up the Fibre equipment – we will courier the modem before your installation date and other equipment will be supplied by the Local Fibre company.
• Connecting your Fibre, WiFi modem, Fibre Landline and checking to see that you can get online.

Who are the Local Fibre Companies?

There are four Local Fibre Companies (LFCs) rolling out fibre across New Zealand: Chorus, North Power, Ultra Fast Fibre and Enable.

Can you tell me a little more about what impacts speed?

The Fibre network, like broadband over ADSL, is shared with other properties within your Local Fibre Company (LFC) and Retail Service Provider (RSP) networks. Speeds will vary depending on how many people are on the network at the same time both on your premises and in general on the Internet. This is also true for overseas networks when accessing content, such as websites or streaming video.

Content such as web pages and videos are stored on 'content servers' so you can access them via your internet connection. Content servers within New Zealand and overseas can reduce the rate (bandwidth) at which you access their content (for instance, when they are very busy), this affects the time it takes to download content and thus your speed.

If connecting via WiFi the connection can be impacted by environmental factors like other wireless devices on the premise (such as smartphones, tablets, computers or laptops) and even your neighbours' WiFi connection. The speed capacity of the devices you are connecting with may be a limitation, for instance the age of the WiFi adapter. Other hardware and software components can also limit the processing of bandwidth and thus your speed.

The most reliable connection and faster speeds will be achieved by connecting devices directly to your modem via high-speed Ethernet wiring instead of using WiFi. For example, Cat 5e is a high-quality network cable, designed to deliver Ethernet standard services over short distances at speeds of up to 1Gbps.

Ultra Fast FibreMAX Speeds

Disclaimer:

^ Ultra Fast FibreMAX is next generation broadband delivered at blistering speeds, over the fastest Fibre service in NZ (using gigabit technology). In optimal conditions - such as those we recommend below*, most customers should see between 700Mbps-900Mbps on a speed test, although some connections may achieve even better than this. In order to get the best performance out of your Ultra Fast FibreMAX service, you might need to change the way you're connecting to the internet, and most importantly you will need to have high specification hardware in your home. Spark terms and charges will apply.

*To get the best possible performance from Ultra Fast FibreMAX broadband, we recommend using:

• A high-spec modem that is capable of supporting these types of speeds, such as the Huawei HG659b from Spark
• A high-spec laptop or PC, for example Intel i5-3550 3.3Ghz CPU, with 8GB RAM running Windows 10 Home 64 bit operating system and cabled directly into your modem with an Ethernet cable, and ensure all your laptop or PC's drivers are up to date, and nothing else is running on the internet connection at the same time, and
• The latest version of your browser, for example Chrome 54.0.2840.87, Mozilla Firefox 49.0.2.

And always test with a local speed test server (for Spark customers this is www.spark.co.nz/speedtest)

Wireless Broadband

Wireless Broadband is Spark's broadband service that uses our super-fast 4G mobile network to send internet straight to your business. It’s reliable and high quality broadband with less buffering so it doesn’t drop out when you need it most. What’s more, it’s so easy to set up anywhere in your premise – no technician and no extra wiring.

Why are some customers in 4G areas not eligible for a Wireless service?

To ensure broadband performance and network consistency remain at their optimal levels, Spark may monitor 4G capacity in certain areas to ensure customers are always receiving the best possible service. This may mean Spark has to restrict capacity in some areas at certain times for new customers, particularly if the area is becoming congested.

How many devices can I connect to my Spark Modem?

You can connect as many devices (e.g. computers, tablets, laptops and smartphones) as you want to your modem. Certain devices may use different technologies which will affect the speed. For instance an older device with a slower processor will be slower than a newer device. What you are actually doing on the device will also affect the speed. The more devices you have using your connection at the same time, the harder the modem works to deliver broadband.

ADSL

How fast is ADSL Broadband?

ADSL Broadband has been the standard in NZ for a long time and, depending on the quality of your lines, gives download speeds of up to 12Mbps and upload speeds of 1Mbps. The national average is about 10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload. This should be plenty for the basics like emailing, surfing the net and checking social networks.

VDSL

How much faster is VDSL Broadband?

Heaps faster than ADSL! Depending on your line quality, you could get download speeds of up to 50Mbps and upload speeds up to 20Mbps. There are a number of factors involved such as the condition of the copper cables and the distance from the nearest cabinet. The closer you are to the cabinet – the better.

Should I choose VDSL or Ultra Fast Fibre? (Ultra Fast Broadband)

If you can get both at your premise then you should certainly consider Fibre. It uses fibre optic cabling instead of copper which means the speeds are more consistent and faster. Fibre can take a little longer to install than VSDL, but it's worth it.

Is it easy to install VDSL and how much does it cost?

It's super easy! When you order VDSL we offer a standard connection similar to ADSL. Please note you will still need a compatible modem to receive the full benefit of VDSL.

When you sign up to VDSL bundle for the first time on a 24-month contract your standard installation and a top-spec modem is free too.

Do I need a new modem?

With every new business broadband connection you must sign up to a 24-month contract so we’ll provide you with a free high spec compatible Wi-Fi modem before the installation date. You'll need to have this on hand when the work starts. The modem will then be connected to the new VDSL jack point. Ideally, the jack point and modem should be installed somewhere on the premise that is close to the main computer or central enough for team to access.

What if my speed isn't any faster than ADSL?

Once VDSL has been installed, a technician will fine-tune the new service. While this is going on there could be some variability in how your connection performs. After 10 days, if the speed is not consistently better than 15Mbps download, and we aren't able to improve things, you can switch back to standard ADSL at no extra charge or penalty.