Over the summer holiday Kiwis relied heavily on One NZ’s services to stay connected – streaming more data, sending more satellite texts than ever, and turning to digital infrastructure all over the country.
As New Zealanders got in touch with loved ones to mark New Year’s Eve, data use on the One NZ mobile network spiked 17.4% between 8pm on 31 December and 11pm on 1 January, compared to last year. In total, customers used 2,076 terabytes of data – equivalent to streaming 1.38 million hours of HD video.
Across the wider 22 December to 6 January holiday window, One NZ’s satellite service saw a significant seasonal uplift as more urban Kiwis travelled to regional and remote areas. The highest satellite usage was seen in remote parts of Northland, coastal Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury, and the West Coast of the South Island.
During this period, One NZ Satellite recorded 50% more users, a 62% increase in messaging, and in total more than one million messages sent and received across SMS, iMessage, RCS and MMS — some of the increase driven by Kiwis using satellite to stay connected during weather‑related disruptions from 30 December to 1 January, with One NZ opening its satellite service to more customers.
Ian Sutton, Head of Network Services, says: “All of this reflects something simple: mobile services are becoming even more essential. Whether it’s ringing in the New Year, sharing holiday moments, or staying in touch during summer storms, connectivity matters.
“Satellite-based mobile coverage is filling in the gaps where our traditional mobile network doesn’t reach – which became an essential communications tool for the New Zealanders who ventured to a remote beach, campsite, or track this summer.
“Across the break, One NZ teams worked around the clock through both peak demand and wild weather to keep New Zealanders connected — and we continue this mahi every day to deliver the reliability and confidence Kiwis expect.”
To prepare, millions of dollars was pumped into One NZ’s digital highways throughout 2025, with 258 mobile updates taking place. Ongoing investment is planned in 2026, which will also see the retirement of the legacy 3G network as more modern 4G and 5G technologies take over.
For more information, visit one.nz/network
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