SPK- Spark NZ (TELCO)

[Major von Tempsky]

Ok guys, (thank you Simon Moutter) here's our chance for a clean break with the past! No more emotional obsessed illogical Telecom haters (Troyvdh ring a bell?) and hopefully even less TA.

I'm willing to give Simon the benefit of the doubt, and credence to the Marketing Professor on Radio at lunch time who said it's a good idea.

I like the possibility of a higher dividend next time, the gain in mobile market share, the coming acceleration of cost cutting, the sharper focus on NZ and the have a go spirit with ShowMe. Surely ComCom will back more competition in entertainment?
Didn't like the reduction in imputation credits, grump, grump.

[BIRMANBOY]

Entirely fitting that you start the new thread MVT. A new name for a new era and new innovation....moving forward into a bright new future. Good idea.

[Harvey Specter]

I'm wondering how much traction they can get with less than $20m in programming costs. As a SparkBroadband/Mobile customer, I would kind of expect it to be thrown in for free till the offering expands.

[Snow Leopard]

So the disappearance of SparkyTheClown from these shores is explained.

He was bought out, at considerable expense, by Telecom NZ to remove all traces of the Spark - Clown association from a forum that occasionally discusses stocks.

Chart has looked good the last few months

Time only will tell if this proves to be a spark or a fizzle.

Best Wishes
Paper Tiger

[Major von Tempsky]

One wonders .... why Joshuatree, 777 and a couple of others keep discussing the change of name on the old thread?

Once it takes legal effect in April presumably it will be followed by a change on the NZX board from TEL to say SPA? Any other ideas what it might be called? Like trying to continue to discuss Ceylon (who?) after the owners changed it to Sri Lanka....

Here's a link to the opinion of a marketing expert and discussion from the TVNZ breaking news website...

http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/telecom-name-change-move-times-expert-5845330

[macduffy]

One wonders .... why Joshuatree, 777 and a couple of others keep discussing the change of name on the old thread?


It may well be because the interim result didn't give much else to discuss or get enthusiastic about! Interesting to note, though, that telecoms - fixed line and mobile - still provided 80% of TEL's revenue in the period.

[In4a$]

I think its a mistake, change for the sake of change. Telecom has huge brand image built up over many years, shame to lose it.
Should have started Spark as a subsiduary company aimed at younger generation and ran it in conjunction with Telecom brand.
Could have corned both ends of the market, old and new.
Disc: No longer hold, and use Orcon.

[Major von Tempsky]

Funny how Sharetrader mostly seems to attract comments from people who have allegedly just sold up and are therefore the expert on Spark....777, In4a$...
Yet it has more shareholders than any other listed company and a growing share of the mobile market so something is out of whack.
One would think that therefore there would be no further comments from 777 and In4a$, particularly as they don't read this thread... :-)

I guess there is a large silent majority who don't feel the need to comment - just as nearly two thirds of NZers are satisfied the way the economy is going...eh

[Major von Tempsky]

Dividend 8.0cps payable Friday 11 April, imputation credits 2.3333 cps, record date Friday 21st March - in case anybody missed it in the mass of verbiage.
And a hint of a higher dividend next time :-)

[In4a$]

[QUOTE=Major von Tempsky;463247]Funny how Sharetrader mostly seems to attract comments from people who have allegedly just sold up and are therefore the expert on Spark....777, In4a$...
Yet it has more shareholders than any other listed company and a growing share of the mobile market so something is out of whack.
One would think that therefore there would be no further comments from 777 and In4a$, particularly as they don't read this thread... :-)


Time will tell major. Remember those shareholders owned "Telecom" who had a growing share of the market, not "Spark". Spark is a whole new story, it might work, lets hope they can keep growing their market share and recover that $20m. My guess is share price will drop as people try and get used to Telecom being Spark.
Disc: I no longer hold, but I might if Spark shows some spark.

[Hoop]

I'm wondering how much traction they can get with less than $20m in programming costs. As a SparkBroadband/Mobile customer, I would kind of expect it to be thrown in for free till the offering expands.

The subscription has to be less than $15/month with excellent content otherwise its a fail
Netflix can be seen in NZ ..its not hard to do....base subscription price $us8/m

[G on]

The questions I have: How much will "Spark" need to spend to be competitive with sky? Can it be competitive? How long before it is making a profit? How much of a subsidy from the other businesses will it take to get it up and running? (threatening dividends).
How long before a concrete tv plan is in the Works?
TLS is doing a similar thing and it makes sense to me that the biggest telco here tries it as well, but, smaller pop will be more difficult.
What risk rating does Spark get now with its new business?
I will be very interested in others perspective.
I can't say that Telecom has lived up to my expections! but I'm still hanging in there.

[whatsup]

Fark,, = tel !! ?

[Major von Tempsky]

Dunno why the subs has to be under $15 a month to succeed...an arbitrary figure?

I pay over $100 a month for SKY, offer me the few channels I'm interested in plus some others I'm occasionally interested in and I'd switch. Or, if there are some interesting channels I haven't got I'd get ShowMe in addition to SKY. It would be easy to beat SKY by having one-off charges for a particular programme rather than forcing watchers to subscribe to an extra channel because there's one programme they want to see.

[bull....]

If showme has a video library that you can pick and watch when you please ( differiates from sky where you are told what you can watch and when ) I might be interested

[Hoop]

Dunno why the subs has to be under $15 a month to succeed...an arbitrary figure?......

No MVT a competitive global figure ....Spark will eventually be forced to compete with Companies that have 10's of millions of subscribers each...Most Internet TV the likes of Hulu are currently Geo locked to USA ..but Netflix which was USA only are now spreading to European countries ... as these companies slowly spread to other countries e.g Coke and Popcorn have entered countries that don't seem to have a Geolocking law in place ( you can watch without any hassells)...This lack of Geo locking is a negative factor for Spark...NZ media protection laws by the major movie or TV producers may prevent large internet companies from physically invading NZ with super low $ subscriptions but these laws are outdated and ineffective when it comes to virtual invasions.

...Click on the link for a taste of Internet TV..Remember Justified (Series 5 Ep 1)..the series that disappeared off our NZ TV screens...You can watch it here (http://www.cokeandpopcorn.ch/watch-justified-season-5-episode-1-online.php)



If showme has a video library that you can pick and watch when you please ( differiates from sky where you are told what you can watch and when ) I might be interested

How's this for a video library Bull The internet is full of these linking websites....

the screenshot (below) is halfway down the H page I've red boxed the TV programme the House of Cards which started last night (series 1 Ep1).... I clicked on this link and it bought up 110 feeds all containing both Series 1 and 2, each series has 13 episodes (some feeds have HD resolution)..

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq306/Hoop_1/screenshot24022014.png (http://s458.photobucket.com/user/Hoop_1/media/screenshot24022014.png.html)

[bull....]

Thanks for the link hoop I had a look, this is what im talking about none of this bs from sky of telling me what i can an cant watch lol but the only small problem is they wanted my credit card info and im not a big fan of giving it to sites I dont know a lot about.
So must be a market for telecom there a?

[Major von Tempsky]

Waal, I just had a nibble....put some more of my money where my mouth is....4,400 at 244.5.... :-)

[Ginger_steps_]

For those with access to a NBR subscription - there was a very interesting article by Jon Brewer which was an update to an 2011 article titled "the end of profit" (for telcos). The 2011 article predicted that telcos would no longer be profitable by 2015. Basically customer numbers are up however landlines are down - Mobile data being the main business. The cost of providing data has almost halved since 2011 but at the same time data revenue is now around 1/6 of what it used to be. The cross over of cost vs profit is predicted to happen this year! Interestingly enough this happens to coincide with telecom, now spark, moving into TV - which i believe ads credibility to the article. So on the assumption that the prediction is correct - Spark's future profitability relies solely on its performance in tv - a space with many giant competitors already.

Disc: Sold my entire holding.

A further thought - if the crossover takes place this year as predicted - how long could it take for Spark to become profitable (if ever) in the television sector? My thoughts on analysts 2.75 valuation due to turnaround strategy is that it is one giant pump and dump. Then again i am just a newb.

[Major von Tempsky]

Any reason why Spark can't cherrypick in the entertainment sector? Some people's assumptions seem to be it has to go into full blown competition immediately with Sky, TVNZ, TV3..
There's more than one way of skinning a cat as you will see.

I think I would rather trust the forward guidance of the experts at Spark, Vodafone, etc etc than the rambling -s of a Jon Brewer (who?) who predicted the end of telcos in a 2011 article. Whatever "telcos" are as Spark now illustrates "telcos are now everything, landline, mobile, broadband, cable, TV, IT etc etc.
He's obviously rather disappointed his 2011 predictions haven't come true so needs to rewrite his predictions - if he qualifies them enough to say that the share of landlines will continue to go down then he may be able to get some egg off his face?

Sorry you sold out Ginger as TEL's price continues to go up. Makes me glad that I bought when you sold. Maybe I have your shares :-)

[Ginger_steps_]

Any reason why Spark can't cherrypick in the entertainment sector? Some people's assumptions seem to be it has to go into full blown competition immediately with Sky, TVNZ, TV3..
There's more than one way of skinning a cat as you will see.

I think I would rather trust the forward guidance of the experts at Spark, Vodafone, etc etc than the rambling -s of a Jon Brewer (who?) who predicted the end of telcos in a 2011 article. Whatever "telcos" are as Spark now illustrates "telcos are now everything, landline, mobile, broadband, cable, TV, IT etc etc.
He's obviously rather disappointed his 2011 predictions haven't come true so needs to rewrite his predictions - if he qualifies them enough to say that the share of landlines will continue to go down then he may be able to get some egg off his face?

Sorry you sold out Ginger as TEL's price continues to go up. Makes me glad that I bought when you sold. Maybe I have your shares :-)

Actually the article was updated because his predictions are now becoming fact. Vodafone nz was an example- customers up, revenue up and profit down. However as stated the crossover isnt expected until this year. He also mentioned back then that we would see companies beginning to bundle multiple services and diversify- again true. Yep I agree- maybe I sold out a few weeks early- but ill be back to quote you when the tables turn.

Furthermore- Do you really think you will get an objective opinion from experts within the companies?

Only time will tell however im not willing to take that risk. If they are profitable in 5 years I may consider taking a position again.

BTW Jon Brewer is a TUANZ member.

[Major von Tempsky]

Actually...if you'd care to read Rod Oram page D24 of the Sunday Star Times today he covers all this excellently and rather better than Jon Brewer. Comment again after you have read Rod Oram. (normally I am rather dismissive of Rod Oram because his articles are politically slanted heavily to one political party - enough to rate them as propaganda rather than objective analysis - however today he's stayed out of politics completely).
There's one point I disagree with him - he states "such as watching content away from the main family TV".
Bollocks, consumers will, and are buying main family TVs that easily connect to the Internet so that they can sit together in their comfortable Lazy Boy recliners and watch in their TV room.

TUANZ? Raucous laughter. It's main purpose is not to serve Telecom Users but to try to destroy Telecom. Think cynically when you read a TUANZ pronouncement - luckily they are rarer and rarer these days. Maybe TUANZ is dying out now that Chorus is separated from Telecom and telecom fields of activity have vastly proliferated?

The last news release from TUANZ I recall (and they used to come thick and fast) was some months ago.
It was a sotto voce release volunteering to "do everything they could to help CNU" and seemed rather along the lines of the fox offering to guard the henhouse heh heh ;-)
How TUANZ still justify the considerable expense of a full time CEO and staff and office etc strains credibility.

[Longhaul]

Whatever you call Telecom now, seems they made a complete botch-up of the launch of their digital TV platform ShowmeTV and are now changing the name (link to NZ Herald article (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11222576)). Irrespective of other companies with similar names, how could they not have thought it was an awful name anyway?

[Major von Tempsky]

Storminatcup.

[Major von Tempsky]

Maybe its time to have another look at TEL - up 6.5cps (was 7cps and maybe more again) today.

All those simple minded devotees of momentum trading and "technical" analysis, draw one of the 100+ plus possible graphs selecting your base point carefully in order to show what you want, and tell us the answer so we can note it for future comment :-)

[BIRMANBOY]

Are you lonely MVT? Yearning for some meaty charts from Hoop to sink your teeth into.......:p
Maybe its time to have another look at TEL - up 6.5cps (was 7cps and maybe more again) today.

All those simple minded devotees of momentum trading and "technical" analysis, draw one of the 100+ plus possible graphs selecting your base point carefully in order to show what you want, and tell us the answer so we can note it for future comment :-)

[craic]

Todays good rise simply reflects the markets. Got me out of a hole where I looked like losing money. Dividend is just a few days away and I suspect that will encourage a sell down by simple folks who know about the dividend and will wait until they get the letter before they drop out.

[couta1]

Why would you pay $2.60 for this stock on no news,record date gone and next divvy eons away,looks very toppy to me,how long before haircut arrives?

[Major von Tempsky]

Several answers - the first one that occurs to me re paying $2.60 for this stock is because that's rather cheaper than paying $2.80 in a month or two.
No news? Scads of it - don't you bother reading it or do you have the goldfish 7 second memory syndrome? Try logging into the Tel Investor Centre, or log into Direct Broking, enter TEL in the side box and then in the drop down box at the top choose "News".
Have a look at the incentives that Simon Moutter and the rest now get - they're now very highly motivated to make the thing work.
The hope/aspiration is for a higher dividend rate next announcement in September. You need patience to be a successful value investor.
If your nerves are that twitchy for action suggest you take a trip to the Casino and burn some money to settle you down.

[BIRMANBOY]

Been there, done that...didn't help!! (sorry Couta, couldn't resist:scared:.
You need patience to be a successful value investor.
If your nerves are that twitchy for action suggest you take a trip to the Casino and burn some money to settle you down.

[craic]

Look at the markets - it's not just TEL everything else is jumping - everything worhtwhile, that is. Go to the threads on NZX and you will find there are loads of wishful thinkers on a variety os slow moving stocks that might move next year or the year after - there are even otherwise intelligent people around who believe that Labour will win the next election.

[freddagg]

If your nerves are that twitchy for action suggest you take a trip to the Casino and burn some money to settle you down.[/QUOTE]

Couta has been getting plenty of excitement at the XRO casino

[couta1]

Been there, done that...didn't help!! (sorry couta, couldn't resist:scared:.
Yeah BB that was the Casino Chorus,or was that the Casino Diligent or Xro or Snakk, actually ive visited so many of them ive forgotton which was which,MVT ive read the news alright,more aspiations and hope than news,actually i got the latest divvy on this stock then sold to buy Genesis and will buy in again when its back down under $2.50,sometime over the next couple of months:cool:

[Major von Tempsky]

At the mo you're wrong Craic - TEL continues to go up while the others go down.... :-)

[couta1]

At the mo you're wrong Craic - TEL continues to go up while the others go down.... :-)
Probably being seen as a hedge fund but at these prices and a yield of 6% there's nothing special here at the moment that can't be bettered by certain bonds and property companies like Argosy etc

[Bobdn]

Are you guys in the DRP? I am and have been for years. All the reinvestments were at a lower price than today's $2.63. I find that so satisfying.

[craic]

At the mo you're wrong Craic - TEL continues to go up while the others go down.... :-)
Don't speak too soon look again on monday week if not earlier. I confess that I have jumped the wrong way a couple of times in the past month to my cost. But never mind, I will recover one grand after the elections and if I do as well on the horses tomorrow as I did last saturday I will be happy.

[Bobdn]

I never owned a company with a P/E greater than 20. Until today.

[craic]

I will be happy if the price doubles and the P/E goes over 40. My motive is profit. I have an equation that I devised to assess new investments and 20 or greater was a bottom score.
P

[Bobdn]

[QUOTE=craic;474707]I will be happy if the price doubles and the P/E goes over 40. My motive is profit. I have an equation that I devised to assess new investments and 20 or greater was a bottom score.
P[/QUOTE

Here's hoping. We're approaching a 52 week high. Hope it stays up on Thursday - will give me an excuse to treat myself over the long weekend.

[BIRMANBOY]

Holding shares generally is more productive if you allow yourself a slightly longer timeline:D..... however if you need an excuse to treat yourself ..feel free. Personally I would have a bob each way...stays up ..celebrate...goes down...console yourself with a treat anyway. Always useful to look at long term charts to get an overview..very few stocks behave as we want ...bugger eh?

Quoted by Bobdn.
Here's hoping. We're approaching a 52 week high. Hope it stays up on Thursday - will give me an excuse to treat myself over the long weekend.[/QUOTE]

[Bobdn]

Holding shares generally is more productive if you allow yourself a slightly longer timeline:D..... however if you need an excuse to treat yourself ..feel free. Personally I would have a bob each way...stays up ..celebrate...goes down...console yourself with a treat anyway. Always useful to look at long term charts to get an overview..very few stocks behave as we want ...bugger eh?

Quoted by Bobdn.
Here's hoping. We're approaching a 52 week high. Hope it stays up on Thursday - will give me an excuse to treat myself over the long weekend.[/QUOTE]

Agree with you 100% Birdman. I'm too addicted to the DRP to seriously consider selling.

[Major von Tempsky]

No regrets yet Couta? ;-)

[couta1]

No regrets yet Couta? ;-)
Some but I had to sell something to buy Genesis and all my techs were in the red otherwise I would have sold some of them,however I won't be buying back in at these levels as its dividend yield is now below some bonds currently available by a reasonable amount.

[Snow Leopard]

Some but I had to sell something to buy Genesis and all my techs were in the red otherwise I would have sold some of them....

No offence but you have not got the idea yet.

Do not sell your winners and keep you losers? :t_down:

Do not let your emotions dictate your investing/trading.

Do not over trade.

Do not etc, etc, etc & etc


Best Wishes
Paper Tiger

[couta1]

[QUOTE=Paper Tiger;475048I No offence but you have not got the idea yet.

Do not sell your winners and keep you losers? :t_down:

Do not let your emotions dictate your investing/trading.

Do not over trade.

Do not etc, etc, etc & etc


Best Wishes
Paper Tiger[/QUOTE]
Point taken but at least i didnt sell any of my Summerset and thats my biggest winner and a no touch zone:cool:

[Major von Tempsky]

August mateys. So it sez in today's paper.

In August the Spark will glow, later to become a mighty flame!

[kizame]

This is still Telecom we're talking about,name change means nothing,their past track record means everything.
They are slow to learn,it's only their dominant size gets them through.

[macduffy]

August mateys. So it sez in today's paper.

In August the Spark will glow, later to become a mighty flame!

As the saying goes:

If you go down in flames, at least it means that you were once on fire!

;)

[kizame]

As the saying goes:

If you go down in flames, at least it means that you were once on fire!

;)

are no,it means you are still burning.

[bull....]

heading up to the top of the multi year range, wonder when we will learn the new name for there internet tv

[Bobdn]

heading up to the top of the multi year range, wonder when we will learn the new name for there internet tv

I put it down to the new Spark advert. Gee, there are a lot of haters in the comments section. They come across as being so bitter and twisted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6dr6vW3YXQ

[shonen knife]

I put it down to the new Spark advert. Gee, there are a lot of haters in the comments section. They come across as being so bitter and twisted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6dr6vW3YXQ

lol, so bad.

[Hoop]

Dunno why the subs has to be under $15 a month to succeed...an arbitrary figure?

I pay over $100 a month for SKY, offer me the few channels I'm interested in plus some others I'm occasionally interested in and I'd switch. Or, if there are some interesting channels I haven't got I'd get ShowMe in addition to SKY. It would be easy to beat SKY by having one-off charges for a particular programme rather than forcing watchers to subscribe to an extra channel because there's one programme they want to see.

No MVT a competitive global figure ....Spark will eventually be forced to compete with Companies that have 10's of millions of subscribers each...Most Internet TV the likes of Hulu are currently Geo locked to USA ..but Netflix which was USA only are now spreading to European countries ... as these companies slowly spread to other countries e.g Coke and Popcorn have entered countries that don't seem to have a Geolocking law in place ( you can watch without any hassells)...This lack of Geo locking is a negative factor for Spark...NZ media protection laws by the major movie or TV producers may prevent large internet companies from physically invading NZ with super low $ subscriptions but these laws are outdated and ineffective when it comes to virtual invasions.

heading up to the top of the multi year range, wonder when we will learn the new name for there internet tv

Only a matter of time now....Sparks internet TV ??? ...too late!!!!.... a huge competitor looming to fill this NZ online streaming void..Netflix due in NZ within the next few months and I still reckon the subscription will be about $nz15/month...Quote NZ Herald 5th June 2014 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=11267502) ....We can look even more positively to the future, too. A recent report from Australian publication Inside Film claims Netflix will indeed launch in Australasia in early 2015.....


I put it down to the new Spark advert. Gee, there are a lot of haters in the comments section. They come across as being so bitter and twisted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6dr6vW3YXQ

lol, so bad.
you said it :p
Telecom ad makes you think a new era of no data caps has been born ....how wrong..how "old school".....Also...too late again I've had no data caps for 9 months with Orcon $99/month fibre 30/10 plan... $10 /month cheaper.These smaller IP's have been operating with no data caps for over a year now
you can become a Giganaire with Telecom !!!..haaa....last month I became a teranaire with Orcon (used 1014gbs)...must admit it will probably be a one off for a while.....but we have a big household with many TV's and we nearly all now use internet TV streaming and downloading...we use about 300-400Gb/month average and slowly rising due to more HD content..

EDIT:...Its amazing how suddenly our household has changed during this last year....The Copper line is no longer used...Fibre connection does everything landlinePhones, smart mobilephones paired into the fibre too,,all wireless connecting gadgets PS3, PVR's..the lot.
Didn't need Sky anymore so that went...great saving there ($110/month)..
If you said to me 5 years ago ...this would happen to our household in 2013..I would've said not likely more like in 2020 maybe.

From my observations so far Telecom (Spark) isn't adapting quick enough to this rapid Global technological change era

[Major von Tempsky]

Some of that is rubbish - just like the Samsung/Sky ad showing guys standing around in a forest watching films and rugby games on their smartphones.
Moronic!
You watch decent films on a big screen at the cinema and you watch decent rugby games in you leather LazyBoy recliner on a big screen TV in the lounge. As well as reruns of particular films you liked in the cinema. You listen to your favourite music on a large specialized music player instead of doing your hearing in on headphones. You make and receive phone calls and texts on your smartphone except you make and receive most calls at home on your landline. You also use your smartphone to get NZX quotes during the day, to look-up the latest newsflash like John Banks guilty and the weather.
You guys are going completely overboard just like people who think shops are going to die out and be replaced by Internet shopping.

Besides which I'm not giving up my Sky Channels 24 Heures (News in French), the Arts Channel, the History Channel, National Geographic channel, the Rugby Channel for anyone.
Take a sedative and calm down, eh.

[clip]

I don't know about that MVT, I would be of the opinion that the majority (over 50%) of users under 30 years of age would now use data services over traditional services for consumed media. Including phone calls, tv/movies/music. Our household does not use a landline, does not use a tv aerial connection (sky or uhf/freeview for 1-2-3-4) at all. I don't have a single friend who uses a landline. I can count on one hand the people who turn on the tv to actually watch TV. The industry is changing, at least in the younger generation, of which the number of people is increasing exponentially.
Even for sports, I either use mysky online (thanks to my parents having mysky HDI which I use their online account), or just stream any sports match over the net if sky aren't covering it live, be that whether I pay for it (if it's something I really want to see/support), or using any number of the free options.
Music? All through spotify, which I happily pay for. Spotify app on my phones/laptop/pc/play online from a browser, all from internet. In the car? Phone in hands free cradle, streamed off internet through phone, through car speakers.
Movies/TV? All through netflix or illegal alternatives if it's not available on netflix. If that makes me an asshole, sure, at least i'm paying for netflix. Better than waiting 8 months for it to come out in NZ after a US release, or paying sky exhorbitant fees for the few handful of shows I want to watch.

The industry is already well in it's paces of changing away from traditionally provided services and it's not going to reverse this trend

[nextbigthing]

You guys sound more like you're talking up the benefit of owning Chorus shares with all this high net usage talk.

[Hoop]

Some of that is rubbish - just like the Samsung/Sky ad showing guys standing around in a forest watching films and rugby games on their smartphones.
Moronic! ...Yeah I hate ads thats why I watch internet TV
You watch decent films on a big screen at the cinema..I do too...and you watch decent rugby games in you leather LazyBoy recliner on a big screen TV in the lounge..I do too (via fibre). As well as reruns of particular films you liked in the cinema..I do too.... You listen to your favourite music on a large specialized music player..I do too in my Home theatre 5.1 surround sound... instead of doing your hearing in on headphones Don't do headphones much.... You make and receive phone calls and texts on your smartphone...yep... except you make and receive most calls at home on your landline..I do too except when the landline rings I've got a choice I can answer it on the cordless or on the smartphone..and..If the phone rings when we all are away we can answer it via our smartphone at no cost...When we are away from home we can still use our landline to make calls free of charge anywhere in NZ by just using our smart phone... You also use your smartphone to get NZX quotes during the day, to look-up the latest newsflash like John Banks guilty who's John Banks;).. and the weather
You guys are going completely overboard just like people who think shops are going to die out and be replaced by Internet shopping.

Besides which I'm not giving up my Sky Channels 24 Heures (News in French), the Arts Channel, the History Channel, National Geographic channel, the Rugby Channel for anyone....Hmmm except for Rugby channel they are free public channels and I can get those apps any time I want on my 55 inch Samsung smart TV and listen to it on the home theatre..
Take a sedative and calm down, eh....Nah..don't do drugs

qqqqqqqqqqqqqq

[Bobdn]

You guys sound more like you're talking up the benefit of owning Chorus shares with all this high net usage talk.

I agree. Hoop's post was a great read and a reminder of how quickly things can change. Go Chorus!

I see Big Pipe may be offering new fibre plans, based on Chorus' new offerings to ISPs, as early as next month. Big Pipe have indicated they may offer an entry level naked unlimited plan, 100 down/10, up for...$79.

Let's see how Orcon and everyone else responds to that. Big Pipe, of course, is owned by Spark and it's where I'm heading as soon as that plan goes live. $79, no cap, and speeds three times what Hoop is currently getting - at a cheaper price.

I think Spark is adapting very nicely.

[craic]

I am too shikkered to understand the above posts but I am happy with my My Sky and because I need Sky to get ANYTHING, i will continue. I trade Tel and do very well out of it - As to chorus, my shares are in to shed, converted to a heap of metal on four wheels and doing nicely. I have a cellphone but it takes me all my time to switch it on. I have a friend who used to seek my advice on shares - but he ignored me and listened to his offspring who knows everything about everything and lost his shirt. Yesterday he came back for some advice and suggested CNU. I told him that he would dead before he made any money out of that. I have no idea where he is going but I will open another bottle of wine before I watch Mrs Browns Boys. As a Dublin man it's hometown humour for me.

[Bobdn]

Yeah, well, here's to Spark getting to 2.76 so you can make that sale. I think you got pretty close the other day. Now, you know that Mrs Brown is actually a bloke don't you?

[Hoop]

I agree. Hoop's post was a great read and a reminder of how quickly things can change. Go Chorus!

I see Big Pipe may be offering new fibre plans, based on Chorus' new offerings to ISPs, as early as next month. Big Pipe have indicated they may offer an entry level naked unlimited plan, 100 down/10, up for...$79.

Let's see how Orcon and everyone else responds to that. Big Pipe, of course, is owned by Spark and it's where I'm heading as soon as that plan goes live. $79, no cap, and speeds three times what Hoop is currently getting - at a cheaper price.

I think Spark is adapting very nicely.

Yeah ..Big pipe(BP) looks like a smart defensive marketing strategy designed to prevent the movement of internet customers to the smaller fry that offer cheaper rates. Quantas does this defensive strategy with Jet Star ...Its a no frills option...Note though Bobdn BP is still on VDL not fibre yet ..I would've thought Telecom (spark) would have had BP in fibre already as the biggest customer bleed is those going to Orcon and swapping to fibre... BP being no frills (totally naked) option when they do go to fibre..I would question if their fibre connection comes with a static IP address...With Orcon their connection comes with a free static IP address so I can change it (proxy server) and not have the hassell to reset it every day.. Also Orcon free landline phone facility which smart phones can piggyback off for free...translates to me being able to use the cheapest mobile plan available (I use Telecom) and save lots of dollars a month with free mobile to landline calls paired through my home landline (fibre)...I could be worse off going to BP and end up paying heaps more in mobile phone charges as was the case before I went to fibre (from Vodafone to Orcon)

Yeah....very interesting to see what will happen to the pricing structures when Chorus finally releases its new wholesale fibre product plans...There was casual talk last year that once Chorus releases its new wholesale plans.. the same price I'm paying now the speed would go from 30mbits to 50 mbits. Since then we have increased competition and BP is a very big player so perhaps Orcon may or may not decide to compete aggressively...all in all new wholesale rates will be good for us internet consumers.....Depending on how aggressive the compettion is it may not be so good for the IP's...

Telecom (Spark) has to be very careful with it's defensive strategy as BP may become too popular and turn itself into a two-edged sword by cannibalizing its parent..

[vorno]

"Hey, watch out that could set off a Spark"
"...too late"

[Hoop]

........................Only a matter of time now....Sparks internet TV ??? ...too late!!!!.... a huge competitor looming to fill this NZ online streaming void..Netflix due in NZ within the next few months and I still reckon the subscription will be about $nz15/month...Quote NZ Herald 5th June 2014 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=11267502) ....We can look even more positively to the future, too. A recent report from Australian publication Inside Film claims Netflix will indeed launch in Australasia in early 2015.....
.......................................

From NZH today 25th June 2014... (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11281013)
"....Telecom has shone a light on its new TV service but is not saying when it will start. The new internet-TV venture is called Lightbox ...........".".....It will compete with subscription video-on-demand services Quickflix, Ezyflix and an unnamed new Sky service........".".......Lightbox will stream TV content online for $15 a month. Sky has not revealed its prices. Neither Telecom nor Sky TV have given a start date for their services.....".

Lightbox price set at $15/month seems to be a Netflix limiting influence..which will the telling factor factor when that Elephant enters the small room sometime early 2015...
Be interesting to see what TV series content is not available to Lightbox as I would've thought SKY TV have got the regional rights to the TV series that really matter...Then what happens to regional rights (re SKY) when Netflix enters Australasia.?

[vorno]

From NZH today 25th June 2014... (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11281013)
Be interesting to see what TV series content is not available to Lightbox as I would've thought SKY TV have got the regional rights to the TV series that really matter...Then what happens to regional rights (re SKY) when Netflix enters Australasia.?

When competition enters, monopolies fall - particularly dreadful ones like Sky.

[Hoop]

Free to Air are crying "foul!!" they have just found out what some of us have known and have been doing for the last 2 or 3 years ...Slingshot (and Orcon) moved ages ago!!!.....a bit late..huh.
However.. Slingshot is now making it much easier to view Geolocked websites...their slingshot customers will no longer need to download and install the likes of proxyservers or geo unblockers.

Websites Slingshot is unblocking include:
Amazon Prime
Hulu
Netflix US
BBC iPlayer

Welcome to the Digital revolution folks..where the "fleet footed" move the world while the slow watch in despair..

The question I ask..Is Spark a sloth? The geo unblocked competition (whether by provider or individual internet user) is growing and is showing Spark's Lightbox product as rather "ordinary" to say the least and it's still not released yet..
TV networks scramble after Slingshot's Netflix move (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11287718)

Broadband Report May 2014 (http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/raw-data-truenet-may-2014-broadband-report-merging-slingshot-orcon-winner-md-158281)

[Bobdn]

Fascinating. As a Spark shareholder, I don't know what to make of it. I'm just pleased that it is "only" committing $20M towards this venture. As a Chorus shareholder, I'm encouraged. HD content and lots of it will mean there's finally a reason for consumers to pick up UFB.

I wonder if there's much of an advantage for NZ consumers in having content on local servers? Does 1080p content from Lightbox get to consumers faster and with less buffering than 1080p content from the US? I see Spark customers will get a discount. I'm going to subscribe to Lightbox from day one I've decided. $15 (less for me as a Spark customer) is cheap and cheerful and as a shareholder I feel obliged ;)

Edit: I said $20M but I think that was how much they were putting up for content. I don't know how much Lightbox in total is costing Spark.

[RGR367]

Another play by Spark.

http://www.voxy.co.nz/business/telecom-digital-ventures-invests-app-la-carte/5/195520

[Major von Tempsky]

Why would you pay $2.60 for this stock on no news,record date gone and next divvy eons away,looks very toppy to me,how long before haircut arrives?

Couta1 on 10th April 2014. I replied because its better than paying $2.80 in a month or two.

Waal it reached $2.78 today.... :-)

[couta1]

Couta1 on 10th April 2014. I replied because its better than paying $2.80 in a month or two.

Waal it reached $2.78 today.... :-)
Fair enough I've been in and out of it a few times and collected divvys along the way but your obviously long on the stock so well done:cool:

[arc]

So what happens when the service plan goes wrong...
And you know the marketing department obviously spent a lot of careful time ensuring the company image was always protected...thats when SPARK goes backward... KRAPS

[Major von Tempsky]

Go on Arc, don't let me stop or deter you, you bet against the market :-)

All need to do is to find someone to lend you a heap of TEL shares and then you short sell them. Easy as falling off a log....

[winner69]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/10283503/Name-change-sparks-Telecom-stoush

the comments are the real insights

Several say Moutter is a real arrogant plonker

[BIRMANBOY]

Who would you rather have in charge of a large corporation a leader or a lounger. Good on him.....too many fence sitters out there in my opinion. As Fred Dagg said..."get in behind ya mongrel". if ya don't like it fek off.:eek2:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/10283503/Name-change-sparks-Telecom-stoush

the comments are the real insights

Several say Moutter is a real arrogant plonker

[Bobdn]

Good on Moutter. What a pity he apologised.

[Zaphod]

Publically humiliating a staff member in that manner is not a trait of a great leader, it is a sign of weakness. There were far more professional and effective ways available to handle that situation, that would have yielded greater respect for his role & decisions and ultimately better outcomes for the company.

[RGR367]

great leaders surround themselves with good people, listen to all ideas then decide on the path to take
it worries me this its my way or the highway approach, I just hope hes got it right

Got it from a reliable source that SPARKS were flyiing everywhere during the discussion which is a good sign for the company aiming to be branded as a different one. But would you not consider that whoever leaked that info to the media, a snake? And that someone is exactly the type of guy needed to be changed by the top echelon for this company to really move forward?

[stones]

The intent behind Moutters statement is no doubt for the good of the company. If you got a negative bring up with your immediate boss to sort it out rather than whinging to the whole company.

[Tomtom]

Does branding really matter? My impression is telecoms is a race towards a commodity. If I was investing I'd be looking at the budget end of mobile data market.

[Ricky99]

has anybody actually read the full thread of what was posted, or is everybody just going of the above news report said was written?

[Major von Tempsky]

Look at the scoreboard! Look at the scoreboard!

[couta1]

Look at the scoreboard! Look at the scoreboard!
Last time the scoreboard hit this score it quickly tumbled back to $2.20 will it do that again? Who knows but I for one won't be finding out this time.

[bull....]

looks like 3 will be on the cards soon

[Major von Tempsky]

Couta1, you should stay out of the kitchen and stick to real estate, collectables and Lotto. Momentum investing and charting are dangerous games and fundamental analysis requires education, research, thinking, constant application and patience - the last one of which you have in very short supply.

[couta1]

Couta1, you should stay out of the kitchen and stick to real estate, collectables and Lotto. Momentum investing and charting are dangerous games and fundamental analysis requires education, research, thinking, constant application and patience - the last one of which you have in very short supply.
I'm sorry MVT but that last part about lacking constant application and patience is such utter trash I can't believe you wrote it.

[RGR367]

has anybody actually read the full thread of what was posted, or is everybody just going of the above news report said was written?

Just accept about my take on my reliable source. What appeared on the media was a bit short. And though people within TEL were quite disappointed it came out in the open, the media version has been shampoed/sanitized a bit. When one participant would call the CEO's response a joke and in black and white for everybody to see, the discussions become quite interesting. But as I said, this could only mean a good sign to this company trying to moult out from its old skin. Just look at the SP now :)

[Bobdn]

Sold 20% of my Tel shares today. Not intending to sell anymore but just thought I'd better take a little bit off the table. Wow, $2.85 be still my beating heart.

[craic]

Should hit 300cps bynext Friday - or possibly this Friday?

[okane]

I'm out at 290. Lightbox will be decimated by the arrival of Netflix in 2015.

[Major von Tempsky]

Spark have been horribly undervalued for yonks, years, in terms of gross dividend yield compared to horribly overvalued shares like Fletchers and Auck Airport. Time for some very overdue catching up.

[Bobdn]

Glad I only sold 20% the other day.

[Ricky99]

Auckland airport has a monopoly, spark sells a commodity. Have just moved mobile from telecom was 69 a month to 2deg for 39 a month, no diff is plan or service, explain to me how they handle that.

Also explain to me how the move to spark works when I still have to talk to Manila to sort out a problem...

[Bobdn]

Auckland airport has a monopoly, spark sells a commodity. Have just moved mobile from telecom was 69 a month to 2deg for 39 a month, no diff is plan or service, explain to me how they handle that.

Also explain to me how the move to spark works when I still have to talk to Manila to sort out a problem...

Sorry, what do you mean? I don't follow the link between rebranding as Spark and keeping a helpdesk offshore.

Just as an aside, I've always found the folk in the Philippines really helpful. I'll be interested to learn how you find the support at 2degrees.

[Major von Tempsky]

Crikey Ricky99, you're rather slow on the uptake, I moved my mobile from Vodafone to Spark a couple of months ago and I now pay rather less than $39 a month for a combined Spark smartphone/mobile and rather less than I did at Vodafone. Where do you live? Chatham Islands?

If you leave your contract going with any utility, power, phone etc etc for yonks at old prices they'll simply keep hauling the dosh in. You're already paying more at 2Deg than Spark, if you keep sleeping on 2Deg you'll find they are still charging you $39 in 5 years time although continually advancing tech makes it cheaper all the time. Companies that are fast on their feet/have good overseas partnerships can make more on a more sophisticated expanded range of services than they lose on price competition in more old fashioned services. Commodity is an easy label to throw around but we are not talking butter or litres of water but increasingly diversified and sophisticated services taking in IT, entertainment, and all sorts of stuff.

[Ricky99]

Depends how much data you want on your phone... My point is that the prices are dropping faster than the big boys can cut their costs. I can't see Simon taking cost out via it systems that fast, and he has already taken out a truckload of headcount so not much more left there. Any new products are on slim margins and people are continuing to either give up the legacy products which had higher margins or competitors are driving the price down, so the margins disappear.

Telecom held onto high roaming rates for years and now they are crashing down, or for a number of travelers they just use data services like viber and hook into free wifi when overseas.
So what I don't see is how they continue to throw off huge cash like they have in the past..

[biker]

Sorry, what do you mean? I don't follow the link between rebranding as Spark and keeping a helpdesk offshore.

Just as an aside, I've always found the folk in the Philippines really helpful. I'll be interested to learn how you find the support at 2degrees.

Support at 2 degrees is great. May take a while to get through but head and shoulders above telecom. I would pay more for that alone. Telecom have rorted us for years - in price and service.
No intention of going back. 2 degrees have taken it to Telecom and Vodaphone and I also enjoy supporting them for that reason also.
Telecoms rivers of gold deserve to regress to creeks of bronze.

[couta1]

Support at 2 degrees is great. May take a while to get through but head and shoulders above telecom. I would pay more for that alone. Telecom have rorted us for years - in price and service.
No intention of going back. 2 degrees have taken it to Telecom and Vodaphone and I also enjoy supporting them for that reason alone.
Agreed I'm very happy with 2 degrees they have great mobile plans including the best casual data usage plans.

[craic]

Somebody out there disagrees with all you parsimonious cellphone users. The price is currently 293cps and the money I have made might be more than enough to buy me a sackful of very nice phones BUT I have the cheapest model available, prepaid, and it remains in the off position, mostly somewhere in the bedroom. If I want to take it with me as an emergency device, I have to take instructions from MOH on how to switch it on. I still think we could make the $3 mark by end of market tomorrow.

[arc]

Sharp u-turn ahead.
divest & short


negative slope change from yesterday, more to come, monday will be interesting

.

[craic]

There are many sharp u-turns - look at the charts - but do you have anything to go on? People wake up as a share rises and decide that now is the time to make a profit but we are close to a dividend.
Sharp u-turn ahead

[Major von Tempsky]

Ricky99 and Couta1 are living in a magic world. The reality is that 2Deg (which isn't listed on the NZX0) has been making big losses since it started up and still has no sign of profitability, depends on its mainly overseas backers to keep it going and find money for investment. Its a tiddler so it doesn't have the advantage of scale and the only reason it exists and keeps going is because the Government said it wanted at least 3 players in the mobile market to ensure competition.
Hardly a firm basis to enthuse upon.

[couta1]

MVT what's magic about only wanting to pay for a small amount of data on a casual basis if that's all you use(I take it you know what data is?) Why join some ridiculous long term Telecom plan when you don't need to?

[Bobdn]

I love the smell of dividends in the morning.

[stones]

Again craic your wily wisdom and sensible comment prevails and MVTs last comment is most relevant. Bring on the $3+ SP and the divi.

[Zaphod]

On a personal level I'm a 2Degrees customer, but for the business we are purely a Spark customer. Why? Superior coverage than either 2Degrees or Vodafone, much more favourable international roaming agreements, and much higher data throughput. This latter point is not solely due to better 4G coverage at a national level, but probably also due to higher bandwidth back-haul links from the XT cell towers and back-end infrastructure than other carriers currently utilise.

[craic]

No let-up in early trading today. I suspect it will get up to the high 290's and drop back about 4pm as profit takers arrive. Just tried for another 26000 at 293 but may have to go up a cent or so when the markets open.

[bull....]

nice rise from the breakout, not unexpected as the theme is big cap - not small cap at the moment

[craic]

Had to go to 264 but never mind, I think that there's life in the old dog yet. Septembers div. statement could see this share returning to its former glory, or not as the case may be. A relative who was one of Telecoms top engineers for many years, said the other day that he had dropped out because of the shares volatility. Long live volatility - I get as much pleasure out of playing this as I do out the horses and it's slightly easier to read.

[Bobdn]

Wow, Tel has a P/E of 25 now. Still holding.

[Major von Tempsky]

Wow, Tel has a P/E of 25 now. Still holding.

Not sure how you got a P/E for TEL of 25? Login to DirectBroking, put in TEL for a quote, then click on the drop down box on Detailed and you can the P/E, totally up to date is 22.38.
Do the same for AIA and the P/E is 27.18.

[Bobdn]

Got it from googlefinance but looks like I exaggerated a little - according gf it's 24.49. I assume DirectBroking is more accurate. Still, it's a high P/E no matter how you cut it.

I wonder if there'll be a higher dividend this time around. What happened to the cash from Telecom's sale of the Australian venture?

https://www.google.com/finance?q=NZE%3ATEL&ei=MTbSU9DiDoewkgWR6oCoAw

[couta1]

Getting thumped back to reality at the moment.

[Major von Tempsky]

YAWN!
Seen it all before, I'm in it for the dividends.
Some people just don't have the temperament to be allowed to invest on the sharemarket.

[couta1]

YAWN!
Seen it all before, I'm in it for the dividends.
Some people just don't have the temperament to be allowed to invest on the sharemarket.
Yeah so have I like when it went from $2.85 back down to under $2.20 last year, I like dividends but this is primarily a traders stock IMHO.

[Major von Tempsky]

I suspect you would be amazed how many Spark/Tel shareholders in NZ there are who depend on it for a good slice of their income. I also suspect that you would be amazed how little most of the NZ shareholding in Tel churns.
The thing is when you have such a huge number of very liquid shares - in the sense that they are very easy to sell - (well over a billion) a smallish sector of very excitable and somewhat juvenile "traders" can give an impression of something that's not actually there.
To me, and I've been in Tel for years and years now, what we have in Tel after the demerger and various rationalisations and under Simon Moutter's very able leadership, is a different species of animal from the reef fish agitation.
After reading the business news in the NZH just now I think the movement is mainly due to crowd panic due to the Fonterra announcement. There is some thought, Chicken Licken, that the Sky is Falling In....

[craic]

Don't blame traders, MVT. I go in and out regularly and along with the dividends, I do quite well. I don't for one moment think that "excitable and juvenile trader" play any significant part. Programmed computers trigger profit taking and for many for many TEL is a form of hedge fund. There was a small recovery just before closing tonight and I will be interested in the pre-opening trades from 9am to 10 am tomorrow. But you need access to depth for that.

[craic]

Half a million through at 9.15 at 287.5 so far but the buy and sell prices are all over the place.

[couta1]

I read somewhere this morning that a broking firm downgraded Tel to sell with a price target of $2.30 may have something to do with price drop also.

[bull....]

I read somewhere this morning that a broking firm downgraded Tel to sell with a price target of $2.30 may have something to do with price drop also.

timed nicely with a overbrought share price

[craic]

If you really believe that a major drop is happening, sell now at market and buy back when the drop comes close to where you think it is going. For me the profit on that is $300 for every cent of drop. So if it drops another 10cps I can buy back the same number of shares and still have $3,000 left over. Unfortunately it is getting close enough to the declaration of a dividend for some in the know to know what the numbers might be and act accordingly - by remote control, of course - but I am out and will return in time for the dividend.

[arc]

Looking like the last negative wave has already passed, delta slope is positive again, back in late yesterday and waiting to see if its a run or a rebound?.

[Bobdn]

Im just going to keep what I've got and wait for the dividend. I bought in at 213.5 a few years back and have just been reinvesting dividends ever since.

[arc]

Im just going to keep what I've got and wait for the dividend. I bought in at 213.5 a few years back and have just been reinvesting dividends ever since.

Wise move...

[Major von Tempsky]

Son, I've just got one word to say to you - Lightbox!

(with apologies to the film Mrs Robinson where the uncle advised the young man "Plaastics!").

[RGR367]

Son, I've just got one word to say to you - Lightbox!

Why? Are you given the opportunity to trial Lightbox?

[bull....]

tel nice bounce and holding up

[Hoop]

Son, I've just got one word to say to you - Lightbox!

(with apologies to the film Mrs Robinson where the uncle advised the young man "Plaastics!").

Poll in NZ Herald today...early days with only a few pollers but the trend is there...The media hype (Tel indirect marketing ?) is evident.
No problems really.. Worst case scenario $20M lightbox failure won't dent TEL /Spark.
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq306/Hoop_1/TELlightboxsurvey02082014.png (http://s458.photobucket.com/user/Hoop_1/media/TELlightboxsurvey02082014.png.html)
Disc: have shares now..

[RGR367]

If I'm to believe the rumours coming my friends, SPARK will post a better than positive(sic) FYE report. The retail side and/or mobile front for once will be tracking up finally for the first time in years and capex for next year will remain really low (even when compared as when CNU was still part of TEL). It still remain for the true numbers to be seen though.

Disc: bought last at $2.33 early this year

[Major von Tempsky]

Right on the anode.

[Bobdn]

I'm on the trial for Lightbox - it's very, very good. This is just the beta release but it's easy to use, has great content (including in HD), and pretty much works without a hitch. At this stage I'm just watching it on my PC. Eventually I hope there's an app for my Playstation 4. Watched an episode of Vikings just now - good show: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2014/may/23/vikings-review-history-channel-game-of-thrones

I'll definitely be subscribing.

[winner69]

If I'm to believe the rumours coming my friends, SPARK will post a better than positive(sic) FYE report. The retail side and/or mobile front for once will be tracking up finally for the first time in years and capex for next year will remain really low (even when compared as when CNU was still part of TEL). It still remain for the true numbers to be seen though.

Disc: bought last at $2.33 early this year

The guy from Forbar on the radio this morning says he expecting reduced profits this year.

But then you only said better than positive (sic) report so that could mean anything .... maybe better than most expect.

Good - $3 here we come

[Major von Tempsky]

I used to follow Forbar once - but for a couple of years I tracked what they said about the main stocks for the forthcoming year. They were mostly wrong in everything they said. I'm not saying they are definitely wrong but on past performances the chances are that they are wrong. Also have a look at the Sharetrader competition, a sticky thread at the top of the NZX threads. The brokers are actually doing a little better than past years but their 5 top picks are as usual well behind the dartboard picks of Sharetrader members.
You'd do better interviewing a random selection of Sharetraders and averaging than you would listening to Forbar (and the other 5 or so brokers).

[Zaphod]

I'm on the trial for Lightbox - it's very, very good. This is just the beta release but it's easy to use, has great content (including in HD), and pretty much works without a hitch. At this stage I'm just watching it on my PC. Eventually I hope there's an app for my Playstation 4. Watched an episode of Vikings just now - good show: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2014/may/23/vikings-review-history-channel-game-of-thrones

I'll definitely be subscribing.

My biggest beef with HD streaming is that although the resolution is technically 1080P, the achievable bit rates are often less than 8Mbps or less which provides a disappointing quality picture. What sort of bitrates are you getting? Or if you can't easily tell, what is the picture quality of Lightbox in HD comparable to?

[Hoop]

I wrote this PM on 31st July ..before the Wall St dip started...After writing I purchased some TEL at 282.5...



Hi Hoop,Just wondering if you think Tel is heading into a down trend or not? Had a negative brokers report yesterday but may be more to it than that,looked toppy over $2.90 so thought I'd wait and see if it went back into the late $260s range,your thoughts would be appreciated,Cheers xxxxx

Hi xxxxx..
It seems TEL could be in a confirmed bull market cycle...This stock is a slowburner of all slowburners..even though it is in a very slight long term uptrend buying into this thing as a buy and hold (bull market cycle strategy) would've presented those investors with a lost opportunity as the roaring NZX50 bull market party to make lots of money is (was) elsewhere...
The interesting thing is the word (was) Now that the NZX50 bull has has paused for a breather (hope that is all it is..!!!) it seems TEL may be worth a buy in except the NZX50 bull is a worry as it is a geriatric living on borrowed time..Bulls lifespan averages about 4.25 -4.75 years but are know to live past 7 years...so buying into TEL using discipline stops may still be a good idea..
Writing about investment strategies highlights Craic very successful trading range many buy/sells these last few years..See on the one year chart the highlighted rectangle chart pattern.Craic identified TEL trading behaviour very early on and xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcan do with TEL as it is a very liquid and easy to quit out of if a trade goes pear-shaped...Not so noticeable on the chart is the length and breath of each rectangle pattern it is shrinking..this is not good news for Craic as he will have to change his strategy methinks as nothing lasts forever..the good news, maybe, if the 2.78 support holds, is this area could be the bull market cycle confirmation point that has taken ages to reach...It is very unusual for this confirmation to take this long after what looks like was the end of the bear market cycle back in mid 2011..If the 2.78 support breaks down it is back to uncertain times again where buy and holds are a doubtful strategy to use..

looking at the 14 year chart it shows why a buy and hold strategy is unwise and accumulating in dips even worse during a Bear market cycle..xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx...But is buy and hold a bad strategy??...no it not during bull market cycles but like all strategies you have to identify the behaviour of the stock you are investing in and use the best strategy for that period just how Craic did his trading range strategy during it's trendless times..

Also notice the rising OBV since the Bear cycle halted, people and insto's are accumulating this stock...the smart money think its worth a hold.

I actually didn't know just how technically important that 2.78 price is...there is no chatter about it on ST so it has gone unnoticed....Very interesting next few days...I might dip my toes on the water (the NZX50 is the big risk here putting me off) with stop/loss with aim for a small div collect...Hmmm I'll see if this 2.78 retest holds first though (confirm the bullish breakout).....Now at 281.5 it seems the water is safe to enter?? I'll hold off a while (lunch time crowd) after I send this PM.....I owe you a thanks in PMing me:).

Hope this explanation on TA helps clarify the broader picture about TEL....it is so easy for the overall picture of a share to get clouded over due to excessive media noise these days

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq306/Hoop_1/TEL30072014.png (http://s458.photobucket.com/user/Hoop_1/media/TEL30072014.png.html)
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq306/Hoop_1/TEL30072014L.png (http://s458.photobucket.com/user/Hoop_1/media/TEL30072014L.png.html)

[Bobdn]

My biggest beef with HD streaming is that although the resolution is technically 1080P, the achievable bit rates are often less than 8Mbps or less which provides a disappointing quality picture. What sort of bitrates are you getting? Or if you can't easily tell, what is the picture quality of Lightbox in HD comparable to?

Yes, good point. Don't know what bitrate I'm getting. New HD content like Orange is the new Black and Vikings looks very good but I'm watching it on my 27 inch LCD monitor not my 50 inch plasma. Everything looks better on a smaller screen of course. Most reports I've read on Geekzone from people who are watching on their TVs or projectors agree that the HD picture quality is good but would be great to get some numbers.

I've just been binging on Lightbox. I watched episodes of: Vikings; Peep Show; The Thick of It; Orange is the New Black; Louie CK and The Office. It has a lot of TV that I mostly missed the first time around like Seinfeld.

[Bjauck]

When I have been to the UK and Australia in the past I am surprised at the quality UK, OZ and even US programming than NZ broadcasters don't pick up and that the old TV ONE may have shown.

Hats off to Sparky for refusing to run advertising for Slingshot that includes reference to a service that runs product for which Telecom/Spark has already paid to get the rights. It is in Slingshot's and others interests to continually cast Telecom as the villain whilst "incidentally" boosting their bottom lines.

[Major von Tempsky]

The end of TEL today, note what it is now quoted as.

What will the obsessed and paranoid Telecom haters do now? They're like the guy who has just been jailed for 3 years so many months for sexually harassing a married woman with a family.
They could switch to Russia if they want a real target deserving of their attention....

[Hoop]

New ticker code SPK.NZX

I rang ANZ securities (old Direct Broking) as my portfolio still shows TEL and it is now not active...They said they will automatically change it tonight as they had troubles with it this morning

[Hoop]

Damn it!!....all my automated speedsheets and models (re TEL) ain't working either ...oh dear... looks like a weekend of manually plugging in new algos & hyperlinks

EDIT 11.15am ...hmm can't change anything on google drive....Google finance doesn't recognise NZE:SPK......

[sharer]

Damn it!!....all my automated speedsheets and models (re TEL) ain't working either ...oh dear... looks like a weekend of manually plugging in new algos & hyperlinks

EDIT 11.15am ...hmm can't change anything on google drive....Google finance doesn't recognise NZE:SPK......

Maybe we deserve a refund from those wide boys charging $$20million-ish for 'rebranding' etc ?

[nextbigthing]

Any chartists like to comment as to what's going on with Spark?

[craic]

Been trying to work this one out several times a day for the past few weeks and, regretfully, I have to work on the the idea that with the annual report just a week or so away, some people are in the know and taking profits while they can. It's always been a good indicator for me that if the price rises steadily close to the date - buy. If the price drops at the rate it is dropping, get out while the going is good. The date is 22 of this month.

[couta1]

Been trying to work this one out several times a day for the past few weeks and, regretfully, I have to work on the the idea that with the annual report just a week or so away, some people are in the know and taking profits while they can. It's always been a good indicator for me that if the price rises steadily close to the date - buy. If the price drops at the rate it is dropping, get out while the going is good. The date is 22 of this month.
So you reckon sell and forsake the divvy is the way to go here?

[airedale]

When is the record date for the divi?

[couta1]

When is the record date for the divi?
Info not available yet but normally goes ex divvy around Sept 18thish.

[Hoop]

Any chartists like to comment as to what's going on with Spark?

Ref:.. my chart in above post#138...
The 278 support is no biggee..the 275 (274ish)support is more significant as it is the top boundary of the old rectangle (trading range) pattern...the good news is that SPK tested that 275 support today and failed to break it...

Seeing the past few days falling price behaviour I assume SPK is in a throwback mode to retest its breakout price (support) before it resumes it's rally up again...This throw back behaviour happens 64% of all bullish rectangle pattern breakouts (Bulkowski) (http://thepatternsite.com/recttops.html)
(see The mid July rectangle pattern breakout on my above posted #138 chart)

...Alternatively if the price continues to fall....... a failed breakout creates a busted pattern scenario in which sees the price enter back into and then fall through the old pattern area (rectangle 265 -275 price area) this failure rate has only a 9% chance of happening see Busted rectangle patterns (http://thepatternsite.com/BustRectangles.html)....Note: This hasn't happened yet with SPK !!!...

As with most price weaknesses testing support lines some more sensitive type indicators can fire off sell signals...

I see the price has bounced off 275 support and is now at 280... the traders quickly identifying its only a throwback (a paused bullish continuation event)..

Disc ..still holding

[Major von Tempsky]

The only significant thing is the result and data and statements they come out with on August 22. All the charting astrology and chicken reading entrails are totally irrelevant.
Give us just one thing, one item, which can be tested against what comes out on Aug 22.

[nextbigthing]

Thanks Hoop!

[Hoop]

The only significant thing is the result and data and statements they come out with on August 22. All the charting astrology and chicken reading entrails are totally irrelevant.
Give us just one thing, one item, which can be tested against what comes out on Aug 22.

OK ..this is one thing
I bought at IPO and more soon after ...I sold out of my very long term "Buy and Hold" TEL when it broke its long term trend at around $8 and mostly sat on the sidelines during its next 10 year downtrend (I entered a few times wished I hadn't and sold out with small losses)...obtaining about 300% capital return in total..I had a boring FA long term investing strategy back then, knew nothing about TA and traded infrequently.

You MVT on the other hand saw $8 then $7 then $6 then $5 then $4 then $3 as cheap and accumulated more reciting Buffet every time...but..really.. breaking 2 golden investment rules...buying (average down) in a downtrend...and.....applying a buy and hold strategy during a bear market cycle.... resulting in (assuming your average down is now to $5/share) a ~-50% capital loss to date

So assuming all those average downs now has decreased your purchased TEL shares to say $5 dollar/ share that will yield you ~3%pa now..while my TA discipline purchase price $2.82 will yield me ~6%pa

[airedale]

Thanks Hoop, MVT is well known for ill mannered and ungracious remarks about that which he has no time for.

[Hoop]

Thanks Hoop, MVT is well known for ill mannered and ungracious remarks about that which he has no time for.

Yes He and I have been flinging that brown stuff at each other for years now....However, we decided a year or so ago we would have a meeting to compare our investing prowesses in 2050 (this gives MVT long term investments time to mature to their full potential) ...As we both come from a line of long living families we have each promised to be there at this meeting :).......venue and exact date yet to be announced

[craic]

The simple way to make money on SPK at present is to jump in exactly the opposite direction to me. I have just bought 25000 this afternoon @ 280 cps. I feel like the unfortunate goalkeeper in a football match faced with a penalty shootout when ever time he jumps, it is in the wrong direction. Still, I made the dollars earlier on in the year, trading whick can be an exciting game. My horses, on the last two saturdays have been just as bad. But I wont starve, in fact I started out on the Atkins diet today to deal with the results of my excesses.

[Bobdn]

The simple way to make money on SPK at present is to jump in exactly the opposite direction to me. I have just bought 25000 this afternoon @ 280 cps. I feel like the unfortunate goalkeeper in a football match faced with a penalty shootout when ever time he jumps, it is in the wrong direction. Still, I made the dollars earlier on in the year, trading whick can be an exciting game. My horses, on the last two saturdays have been just as bad. But I wont starve, in fact I started out on the Atkins diet today to deal with the results of my excesses.

Good to see you back and good luck with Atkins. Hard to give up sugar but life always feels better without it.

[craic]

Haven't been away just pledged to keep off on thread that was dominated by a frantic blogger who spent all day every day shoving his views down throats but he seems to have disappeareds into the wilderness. Sugar? I was never keen on the stuff loved my potatoes and home baked bread and stout by the gallon. Happy to note that Spark is running in the right direction again - I have quite a few bob to recover. OOPS! wrong again - he's back. My faith in moderators has just fallen through the floor again.

Good to see you back and good luck with Atkins. Hard to give up sugar but life always feels better without it.

[Bobdn]

Haven't been away just pledged to keep off on thread that was dominated by a frantic blogger who spent all day every day shoving his views down throats but he seems to have disappeareds into the wilderness. Sugar? I was never keen on the stuff loved my potatoes and home baked bread and stout by the gallon. Happy to note that Spark is running in the right direction again - I have quite a few bob to recover. OOPS! wrong again - he's back. My faith in moderators has just fallen through the floor again.

Sadly, bread and potatoes (carbs) = sugar. I wish the equation was different.

[craic]

Nice little climb up to 286cps this afternoon - I wonder if it will continue upwards tomorrow? Steak and onions for dinner tonight on the Atkins diet.

[RGR367]

Nice little climb up to 286cps this afternoon - I wonder if it will continue upwards tomorrow? Steak and onions for dinner tonight on the Atkins diet.

The Force (rumour) is getting stronger on this side so I will try to take a little bait to secure some more. Or I'll maim or separate a shoulder from a friend.

Warning: get another friend to manhandle for your own sake

[craic]

Looks to finish at 288 today and I should really sell and look to buy back at 285 early next week but its too close to the big day and I might not get back in without taking a loss and I can do without that.

[Bobdn]

Well, that was a good result.

[craic]

9cps is a nice figure by try as i may I cannot find the relevant dates? The Investor Centre is still showing the half year dates and all the site could do was try to get me to make Internet Explorer 9 my default browser ( I did just to get it out of the way).









internet

[Brain]

Craic Record date 26/9/14 Payment date 10/10/14

Brain

[Hoop]

Craic Record date 26/9/14 Payment date 10/10/14

Brain
Craic...During report season I find it best to go straight to the horse's mouth (NZX site) every morning before opening...
Here's Sparks series of Announcements and PDF attachments re: NZX site (https://www.nzx.com/companies/SPK/announcements/254230)

[sommelier]

The market was obviously expecting an even better result.

[Major von Tempsky]

Hmmm, it was up 1cps, then down 1cps, and now its no change. The price has been rising substantially for months - doesn't that indicate the Mr Market got it about right? i.e. about what was expected? I think you have to congratulate the market!

I'm happy enough with a 1cps extra dividend and also 39% imputed (up from 29%). No need to be greedy....

[Bobdn]

Hmmm, it was up 1cps, then down 1cps, and now its no change. The price has been rising substantially for months - doesn't that indicate the Mr Market got it about right? i.e. about what was expected? I think you have to congratulate the market!

I'm happy enough with a 1cps extra dividend and also 39% imputed (up from 29%). No need to be greedy....

Yep, the share price has increased by 21% in the last six months. Well done Market!

[craic]

A significant percentage of investors have little interest in the bottom line - the dividend. They are people who got in well below the current price and sell at a great profit when ther are plenty of eager buyers. They are content with a few points below the top. This will settle down before long. What really interests me is the holder who sells the day after the record date at more or less the same price as the day before the record date. If he "loses" 5cps on the deal he is still 4cps in profit and if he hangs on until the dividend is paid and the dust has cleared, he can buy back his holding at a greatly reduced price, normally.I play this game some of the time but I'm a bit cautious at present. I missed a dividend a while ago thinking that the high price I got just befor the record date was enough to guarantee that my buy back cost after the date would give me a greater profit than the dividend but it didn't.
The market was obviously expecting an even better result.

[bull....]

nice, im still looking at 3 to go with a div

[Major von Tempsky]

I note that Spark is pointing to a 100% imputed dividend in future, which is up from 39% imputed this time which is up from 29% last time. :-)

[Bobdn]

I note that Spark is pointing to a 100% imputed dividend in future, which is up from 39% imputed this time which is up from 29% last time. :-)

Yes, exciting times. I really love the new direction the company is taking. As I mentioned earlier, I trialled Lightbox which is launching in a week. It's a first class experience. Spark is aiming to get 70,000 customers on it over the next year or so. Hard to know what will happen especially with Sky launching its product in December but I'm perfectly happy the company risking $20M to give it a go.

[Zaphod]

There's still a lot of content up for grabs, so Lightbox could pick up some top-notch shows despite Sky TV being the dominant rights holder in the region. If Spark choose to invest further capital in the venture and have a product with a slick UI/UX (MySky badly needs a refresh) then it could very well be a winner for the company.

[Major von Tempsky]

Question is....is ComCom going to take action against SKY for being too dominant in the entertainment/content business?

To show that it is even handed in view of the action it has already taken against Spark and Chorus ComCom needs to show it is honest.

[bull....]

3 dollars here we come

[Hoop]

Hmmmm...An email from Orcon today..
1...they have turned on their global mode...that means Netflix, BBC iplayer and other websites are not Geoblocked any longer..
2...New plans out tomorrow..cheaper Fibre 100 plans have up to 100Mbps download speed, and come with up to 20Mbps upload speed.The new data caps and prices are:

Unlimited data for $115/mth, or
100GB for $105/mth.

An interesting problem for Spark has developed..At least a couple of providers that I know of have now turned their global mode on...

Will Spark compete and turn their global mode on and hope that it won't cannibalise their Lightbox?

As I'm an Orcon customer I checked it out..yep it works.....Now lets see if my smart TV picks up these Apps now that they are unblocked.

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq306/Hoop_1/aaa.png (http://s458.photobucket.com/user/Hoop_1/media/aaa.png.html)

[Bobdn]

Lightbox is not a big deal for Spark IMHO. Of course it wants to make money but it's $20M investment only and worth a punt.

Good to hear about the new plans from Orcon. Let's see what Spark and Big Pipe have to offer.

[RGR367]

3 dollars here we come

It will get there and beyond..... :)

[blockhead]

Go on, someone hop in and buy one for $3.00

Tossed up myself weather to get a few more HNZ or SPK...went for HNZ in the end, will be a good comparison to see if I stepped the right way or not

[Bobdn]

Go on, someone hop in and buy one for $3.00

Tossed up myself weather to get a few more HNZ or SPK...went for HNZ in the end, will be a good comparison to see if I stepped the right way or not

Yay, we did it. $3 it is. Congratulations to everyone who held the line. I feel like celebrating a little. :t_up:

[Major von Tempsky]

Well Bull et al, it's reached the magic witching figure of $3.00. It must be someone's turn to shout :-)

[RGR367]

Lightbox is being marketed for SPARK Home Broadband customers for just $7.50 for 6 months. SPARK may not be spending much on this stuff but surely it can only be a breadwinner too after testing the market. Just my feel so 3 bucks and more to the sp.

[Hoop]

Lightbox is being marketed for SPARK Home Broadband customers for just $7.50 for 6 months. SPARK may not be spending much on this stuff but surely it can only be a breadwinner too after testing the market. Just my feel so 3 bucks and more to the sp.

Pirate series among flagships on Lightbox

.....Spark hopes pirates will boost the popularity of its Lightbox internet television service, (https://www.lightbox.co.nz/) which was launched at midnight.

That is fictional swashbuckling pirates from new television series Black Sails, to which Lightbox has secured exclusive rights, rather than the modern-day copyright-infringing variety.....see more (http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/60896974/pirate-series-among-flagships-on-lightbox.html)

[Bobdn]

$7.50 is a steal. I'm in.

Hopefully they'll develop a PS4/Xbone app over the next few months.

[Hoop]

$7.50 is a steal. I'm in.

Hopefully they'll develop a PS4/Xbone app over the next few months.

Yeah..Hmmm...the launch seems rather rushed...eh...no mention of apps for smart TVs either.... Bobdn.. I hope those Apps come out quickly..Target 70,000 within a year ...rather ambitious..eh ,,with the amount competition suddenly appearing not to mention ..another heavyweight SKY entering into this market soon as well ...

Internet browers inside BluRay players, PVRs, PS3 /4 and XB are a pain to operate...and HDMI laptop to TV hooks ups is an unnecessary hassell in todays world of simple Apps ...Not a great marketing image of a new "switched on" company delivering up the moment high tech services.

Disc: hold TEL

[Hoop]

The lightbox marketing hype is working...the NZ Herald poll (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11315267) shows Quickflix is the loser here..
The poll didn't include free on demand global heavyweights such as Hulu (still Geo-blocked???) and BBC iplayer..

Which on-demand service are you most likely to use?

550–600 votes

Lightbox 17%

Quickflix 2%

Netflix 38%

TV One and TV3's free on-demand services 13%

I'll wait till Sky launches its on-demand service 11%

I'll stick to traditional TV viewing methods thanks 19%

[Zaphod]

Yeah..Hmmm...the launch seems rather rushed...eh...no mention of apps for smart TVs either.... Bobdn.. I hope those Apps come out quickly..Target 70,000 within a year ...rather ambitious..eh ,,with the amount competition suddenly appearing not to mention ..another heavyweight SKY entering into this market soon as well ...

Internet browers inside BluRay players, PVRs, PS3 /4 and XB are a pain to operate...and HDMI laptop to TV hooks ups is an unnecessary hassell in todays world of simple Apps ...Not a great marketing image of a new "switched on" company delivering up the moment high tech services.

Disc: hold TEL

The SmartTV interfaces are simply terrible from a UI/UX perspective, but third parties who seek to capitalise on this weakness such as AppleTV, GoogleTV, Roku etc. are all facing challenges from the media companies as they protect their turf. It's a very challenging and exciting time for consumers, distributers and producers.

[Bobdn]

Do you guys reinvest dividends for take the cash. I reinvest.

[tim23]

Take the dividends in cash used to reinvest when shares were under $2.50ish

[Jim]

Do you guys reinvest dividends for take the cash. I reinvest.

40% reinvest 60% cash

[Bobdn]

40% reinvest 60% cash


Cool, I like the way Spark allows splitting dividends between cash and reinvestment.

[samshields]

Can someone please explain the huge amount of large quantity off-market trades happening everyday?

[craic]

Watch out. Ex dividend date is actually 24/9 and 26 is the record date. Buy on 25/9 and you miss the dividend.
Craic...During report season I find it best to go straight to the horse's mouth (NZX site) every morning before opening...
Here's Sparks series of Announcements and PDF attachments re: NZX site (https://www.nzx.com/companies/SPK/announcements/254230)

[craic]

This years div. is earmarked for a couple of weeks in Adelaide and a cruise up the Murray River next year. Great being old - you can spend your money. And when it's gone, just stay in bed or go fishing for a couple of days, and, Presto! it's back. Should have worked out this equation years ago.
Do you guys reinvest dividends for take the cash. I reinvest.

[Major von Tempsky]

Can someone please explain the huge amount of large quantity off-market trades happening everyday?

Probably overseas investors wanting to get in in time for what to them is a huge gross yield percentage :-)

I ought to add that Spk/Tel has always been used as a substitute for NZ Inc by overseas players, some looking for an alternative to the NZ dollar which is the tenth most traded international currency. So they are having daylight while we are having night. They can make off NZX trades in Spk until the daylight switches.

[blockhead]

Trouble with the malware in email clients of Spark could present a buying opportunity tomorrow perhaps....or it could be a permanent fall back in sp.

Not what a newly rebranded company wants to engender confidence in its IT platforms ??

[Major von Tempsky]

I should keep a diary ..... I recall several NZ telecoms have had technical troubles incl Vodafone, some of them lasting DAYS!

I had a little trouble yesterday morning but I persevered and was able to use the Internet quite a lot most of the day. I'm sure the Spark engineers are investigating intensively and that the noose is closing around the troublemakers.

[kizame]

I'm sure the share price won't dip much if at all,afterall,have you ever had a refund because your isp had a fault and you couldn't log onto the net?

[tim23]

Hardly an issue I would have thought, can't see much damage to share price.

[couta1]

Hardly an issue I would have thought, can't see much damage to share price.
Damage = Buying Opportunity = Very Good:cool:

[craic]

I hope your'e right. I have 85gs to spend on spk before the div so a good drop would helpful but I can't see it happening. There is more to this one than a few disgruntled customers.

[Bobdn]

No help for you today.

Anyway, back to Lightbox which I pay $7.50 per month as a Spark customer. Good time to be a shareholder and consumer of Spark.

[Bobdn]

I'm enjoying this. How high will it go?

[bull....]

I'm enjoying this. How high will it go?

its got good momentum at the moment and div to come

[samshields]

Is div cut off the 24th?

[theace]

Thoughts on taking the div or going for the DRP?

[dingoNZ]

Thoughts on taking the div or going for the DRP?


I always tend to use the DRP and then sell out if need be in a month of two time once the price regains

[Major von Tempsky]

Thoughts on taking the div or going for the DRP?

Spark is ex div 26th Sept (day before my birthday :-)) but I remember seeing something about some complication on 25th so best to treat as div on 25th.

[Bobdn]

Sorry, I see it closed down. I should have Shut The FU, let's put it down to commentators curse. Do people still use that phrase ie "he's batting brilliantly today...oops he out, caught behind" etc.

[Major von Tempsky]

Ah, its the long term average that counts, there's always the international blips and the natural halt to lots of days of rises! I'm still smiling and will be even if it goes down for a while.
My reasoning a couple of years ago was, Look Tel/Spark has very good gross dividend ratio and inflation and interest rates are declining/staying low.
Its just a matter of time before Tel/Spark shows it is stable/growing again and it will just have to at least double at some stage. Well it strung me out for a year or so but eventually it too could not resist logic and gravity!

[Hoop]

Technology amazes me now and again..
Just think..nearly all NZ internet data going global goes through the fibre optic cable at this size shown below

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Southern_Cross_Cable_cross_section.svg/300px-Southern_Cross_Cable_cross_section.svg.png

In the cross section (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_section_%28geometry%29) diagram shown:


Insulating high density polyethylene (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene) (17 mm)
Copper (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper) tubing (8.3 mm)
Steel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel) wires
Optical fibers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_fiber) in water resistant jelly (2.3 mm)


This is the cross section of the Southern Cross Cable owned by Southern Cross Cables Limited the shareholders are (Spark NZ (50.01%), Singtel/Optus (39.99%), Verizon Business (10%)..

Yep...it those little dangly bits at the end that carry nearly all of NZ's data.....Worried about it being too small...no worries ... Initially, each inner cable had a bandwidth capacity of 120 gigabit/s after many technology upgrades later the total system capacity is now 3.6Tbit/s, Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cross_Cable)

Always wondered how many other fire optic cables lie on the seabed around the world...see the submarine cable map 2014 (http://submarine-cable-map-2014.telegeography.com/)

Enjoy :)
Hoop

[Bobdn]

Wow, I didn't realise that cable was so small. Great map.

[craic]

A close relative went from school to the post office, Telecom, an honours degree from Canterbury, A scholarship with General Electric in the UK and back here where he went right to the top and now retired, spends yonks every year overseas at conferences and has probably forgotten more than most people will ever learn about this field. He was the one who advised me right from the start with Chorus to take the money and run. I did and it's still parked in the garage. I still dont get on with him but I listen to what he has to say in this field and decide for myself on investments. He still wonders why his sister married an uneducated Irishman - fifty years after the event. Especially one who has drunk as much rum as I have in the last few hours.

[craic]

Looks like a bit of a drop in the price in the next few days? or am I being pessimistic. I would like it to drop 10cps or more before the div.date. There are still fortunes to be made out there. A breakfast of pork sausages, eggs and stirfry veges has just returned me to sobriety on a sunny Hawkes Bay day. But no chainsaw "till after lunch - just in case.

[craic]

OOPS! Pre-market sales are as high as 313.7cps at 9.30 am although registered bids and asks are around 308 cps.

[Major von Tempsky]

Hmmm, didn't work that way, perhaps a broker could explain why.

It means that some silly sod has egg all over his face for paying 313.5 per share for SPK when he could have got them for 306 per share if he had managed to wait half an hour or so.

[Bobdn]

Looks like a bit of a drop in the price in the next few days? or am I being pessimistic. I would like it to drop 10cps or more before the div.date. There are still fortunes to be made out there. A breakfast of pork sausages, eggs and stirfry veges has just returned me to sobriety on a sunny Hawkes Bay day. But no chainsaw "till after lunch - just in case.

You're living the dream main man.

I'm happy that the share price is tanking a little before the payout. Good for my dividend reinvestment plan. Feel for the people that went balls deep at $3.15. I bought Telecom shares at $2.61, my first purchase of shares since 1987, just before the XT debacle. Been there, done that.

[craic]

Getting down to my price at last! I would like 288cps but thats as unlikely as Dotcoms knighthood - still, worth the wait.

[tim23]

The buyers at $3.15 will get close to 5.5% net yield better value than some bonds so they won't be too despondent, might be $3.20 next week who knows?

[Major von Tempsky]

Tim23, does that include the effect of Spark's dividends becoming 100% tax imputed in the future?

[blockhead]

Not ex div yet are they ?

[craic]

No. But an 8cps drop in the price this afternoon is hard to explain? Anything to do with the zillion dollar fine hanging over Yahoo? someone out there must know something. I bought a pile at 304 for my son this morning, then up it went. Came inside for a rest from digging up the septic tank with the intention of buying in a pile more if it came back to 304. Thought I had pressed the wrong button when the price came up. By the way, Blockhead, how are things in Geraldine? Had a mate down that way many years ago, Chum Barton was his name - like fifty years ago.

[blockhead]

Geraldine is just fine, worthy of a stop next time you are going through. Have been here on and off for more than 50 years, did know some Bartons in the 60's but they were out on the Plains.

shoite, they are still going down, might get a wee top up

[sharer]

No. But an 8cps drop in the price this afternoon is hard to explain? Anything to do with the zillion dollar fine hanging over Yahoo? someone out there must know something. ...

Maybe "SPK" is a reference to all the spooks clogging up our cable ??

[mayday]

Not ex div yet are they ?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11326405

not a positive news for yahoo xtra which is owned by Spark

[airedale]

Does Spark have any liability here?

[mayday]

Does Spark have any liability here?



It was a joint venture between Yahoo!7 and Telecom New Zealand. Yahoo!7 held a 51 percent stake in the company and Telecom NZ held49 percent. Because Yahoo!7 is a 50/50 venture, Yahoo! proper was therefore a 25.5% owner of Yahoo!Xtra.

Source from: https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=yahoo%20xtra%20ownership&gws_rd=ssl

[Major von Tempsky]

Possibly you are barking up the wrong tree....the index is down 49 and the Aussie one is down 35. The election is on Saturday....those who treat Spk and Fletch as proxies to invest in NZ Inc and or the NZ dollar will be very restive about bad results on Sat such as a hung Parliament or a switch to a Labour led coalition of 5 parties and want to sit on the sidelines until it clears up.

[bull....]

probably to do with the election - Labour win will cause markets to fall because of the CGT and the the tax increases and changes to 90 day work rule and min wage increase etc etc ( just stating facts )

[craic]

Only today and tomorrow to buy/sell shares before the big day. Election result should cause this one to soar today. It would be nice to be able to pick the high and the low of the next 48 hours, sell on the high and buy back on the low, make a few bob and still be in for the dividend. I predict a high of 307 for today - but I won't be trading.

[Bobdn]

I sold 20% of my Spk shares at $2.78. Glad I didn't sell anymore. Last week I sold 105 Apple shares to reinvest into Spark. My Apple shares had appreciated 51% in a little over a year. Wow 51%, alittle better than my Westpac term deposit. Anyway, I bought back that 20% at 2.985. All this trading is expensive. No more deals from me for at least one year, probably longer.

[samshields]

Sorry to bother. In terms of depth, why go in with an ask of 280c?
Is this a trick to get your order filled first?

Thanks

[Major von Tempsky]

Also known as a low-ball offer. It's a psychological attempt to crash the price and pick up some shares. Occasionally as with low-ball offers someone will panic and sell or some Alzheimers afflicted oldie will take the cash without thinking any further if it's there overnight as the only bid.

[craic]

Interesting to see the price SPK is selling at the moment - 297cps or up 3cps. Are there people buying today on the ex-div date in the belief that they are still in for the div.? I sold out at that price today on the certainty that I can buy back within a few days for a significantly lower price. I need 2cps difference to make a profit but 7 or 8 would be nicer.

[theace]

If one sold today, they would still get the div?

[RGR367]

If one sold today, they would still get the div?

Yes as it takes 3 days to settle the transaction as far as I know.

[RGR367]

Interesting to see the price SPK is selling at the moment - 297cps or up 3cps. Are there people buying today on the ex-div date in the belief that they are still in for the div.? I sold out at that price today on the certainty that I can buy back within a few days for a significantly lower price. I need 2cps difference to make a profit but 7 or 8 would be nicer.

I wouldn't be surprised if if bounce back to 300c right away anytime now as some analysts are still calling it to be had for 310.

[craic]

Yes, again. There are some clear definitions on Google but todays price but though todays price is recorded as a rise when the actual price is lower than yesterdays close is becausethe 9cps has been factored in.

[hummerh40]

Still doesn't seem like recovering post-div. Getting close to the 70-day MA

[Major von Tempsky]

Interesting....and 2 Degs is in the financial poo as well...

Vodafone New Zealand, the country's biggest mobile phone operator, has reported its first annual loss since 2000 as related party finance costs from its TelstraClear acquisition and rising cost of sales weighed on the bottom line.

The Auckland-based company posted a loss of $27.9 million in the 12 months ended March 31, from a profit of $55.9m a year earlier, according to financial statements lodged with the Companies Office.

While revenue climbed 16 per cent to $2.06 billion, with the added fixed line business of TelstraClear coming on board and accounting for about half of sales, it wasn't enough to offset increasing costs in the year.

Vodafone's cost of sales rose 20 per cent to $910.5m, its employee benefits jumped 30 per cent to $314.9m, and its interest bill increased 12 per cent to $130.6m.

"The financial structure of our business has also changed following the acquisition," a spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.

"We're bigger and we have more assets. As a result - and as expected - our costs have gone up."

Vodafone acquired the fixed line business in October 2012, expecting to slash back-office duplication, use TelstraClear's backhaul and transmission services, and cut its reliance on Chorus.

It amalgamated that unit into the wider New Zealand group in March last year, valuing the assets at $843.6m.

As at March 31, Vodafone New Zealand owed $1.38 billion, including $572.4m of accrued interest, to Vodafone Group, which is due for repayment in July next year, with a further $119.2m owing to Vodafone Overseas Finance, coming due in October 2017.

The New Zealand unit flagged $114m in capital expenditure commitments, of which $68m was to purchase 700 megahertz radio spectrum for 4G services in the government's auction earlier this year.

It claimed $32.1m from the government's Rural Broadband Initiative, where it's contracted to build 154 new cell sites and upgrade 387 cell sites over six years.

The RBI initiative is funded through the Telecommunications Development Levy, of which Vodafone was to pay about $14.3m for the 2013 financial year.

[tosspot]

The loss was down to higher than usual depreciation/impairment charges though. so operationally Vodafone is still profitable

[Major von Tempsky]

And heaps and heaps of interest.

[Fox]

Just thought I might add that Vodafone are basically discounting all their plans and ringing up customers to offer them better plans (y).

[Jim]

Just thought I might add that Vodafone are basically discounting all their plans and ringing up customers to offer them better plans (y).

More bad news for SPK

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11337716

[Bobdn]

More bad news for SPK

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11337716

Jim, I couldn't open the link. When you say "more bad news", what was some of the other bad news?

Edit: sorry I can open it now. Phew, I thought it might have been something that was going to have a material difference on the share price. Never great to read about a dissatisfied customer but not everything is going to go smoothly in business no matter how hard a company like Spark tries.

[RGR367]

More bad news for SPK

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11337716

Just a storm in a tea cup actually. Bad publicity alright but every now and then SPK gets a good publicity too. Like that endorsement from the Whale Oil lately :).
No, it should not materially affect the sp. SPK is spending a lot more now on their software changes and how it will play up in the end would be really material to way they compete for customer grab.

[Zaphod]

More bad news for SPK

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11337716

TBH this sort of issue can and does happen with other Telco's. I've been involved in sorting out similar incidents with both VFNZ and Spark and the cause can be complicated, especially when customer expectations and usage patterns do not match that which was initially agreed to.

Sometimes products do not work as intended (we had significant billing issues with Gen-I Mobile Office) but an amicable settlement was eventually reached without needing to go to the media.

[craic]

The great mystery for me is that on Monday of this week I was able to purchase a large parcel @ 288cps that I promptly returned to the block at 293cps. All day (Tuesday) the price stayed well below my figure then at the very last minute, shot up to 205 cps and mine sold. I have no objection to a handsome profit but my initial purchase price was half a cent lower than any published buy figure and the price I sold at was 2cps above what I was asking. Now, at close today, the price shoots up again? I know that the market is a funny place at times but I would love to know what I am missing.

[blockhead]

How do you make a quid out of buying @ $2.88 and selling @ $2.93 ?

Surely your broker is the only one coining a $ here ?

[couta1]

How do you make a quid out of buying @ $2.88 and selling @ $2.93 ?

Surely your broker is the only one coining a $ here ?
Simple blockhead he moves volume eg if you move 50k shares for a 5c profit you end up with around $1900 profit after accounting for brokerage if you use the likes of ANZ.

[blockhead]

You are correct, I use ANZ, just did a buy for 50,000 @ 2.50 and cancelled before I followed through.......$529 brokerage on $125,000.

Might have to get into some larger trades, now where has Mrs Blocky got the life savings stashed ?

[craic]

The actual buy was $86,400 and the sell was $88,500 less a pair of fees approx. $350 - a net gain 1750. $500 0f that is tax - maybe. I'm still no wiser about last minute inflated buys? Or how someone buys mine 2cps above what I ask? The large amount is life savings and I keep ALL my eggs in one basket. I used to play draw poker when I was younger.

[hillbillybob]

Todays s/p $287, anybody want to put their hand up for buying.