Spark joins fight against digital exclusion in NZ

In a move that InternetNZ says will help increase digital inclusion in New Zealand, Spark has just launched Spark Jump.

With the new service, Spark will offer families at risk of digital exclusion entry-level home broadband for only $15 per month, all pre-paid and with no contractual obligations.

Jordan Carter, chief executive of InternetNZ, says it is a fantastic example of how internet service providers can get on board with improving digital inclusion in our country.

"The Internet can offer huge benefits, but some New Zealanders can't afford to get online and miss out on those benefits as a result. For some, the issue is location, with programmes such as the Government's Rural Broadband Initiative taking a step in the right direction," he says.

"While this is great, and certainly much needed, Spark Jump provides a solution to another barrier of getting online - cost," says Carter.

InternetNZ positions digital inclusion as a key challenge facing New Zealand, and has made access a focus for 2016.

"Spark Jump is a great example of what we want to see. Cost is a fundamental barrier for some New Zealanders to get online - not everyone can afford upwards of $60 per month," he explains.

"A more affordable broadband option will be life-changing for many families around the country," says Carter.

According to Spark, every day tens of thousands of New Zealand children do not have access to home broadband and come home from school unable to continue their online learning.

The Kiwi telco says that one of the main drivers for this new service is to target these families with school children and to give them digital access both at school and in the home.

"The Internet has changed lives significantly and is changing the way people learn," adds Carter.

"To ensure people do not get left behind, it's essential that we break down barriers that may exclude people from accessing the Internet.