New Research Reveals The Truth About Our Online Lives

Canstar’s research to find Kiwis’ favourite broadband provider reveals some stark truths about our online lives.

Canstar is thrilled to announce the winner of Most Satisfied Customers for Broadband is Hawke’s Bay-based Kiwi company NOW Broadband. It is NOW’s second year in a row winning the award.

Hamish White, founder and CEO of NOW Broadband, said: “This award is testament to the people and team at NOW relentlessly pursuing and delivering against their belief that the telco industry has deprived Kiwis of good service for decades.

“We’re here to deliver what Kiwis deserve and who would have thought that you could build a business by just getting the basics right, which the industry seems to struggle with. It’s not rocket science; run a high performing network, do what you say you’re going to do, and simply answer the phone when customers need help.”

Canstar General Manager Jose George said NOW’s repeat win reflected its focus on customer service, along with a reliable network. “NOW has shown itself to be a real leader in the broadband market, beating major competitors to take this award two years in a row. It’s a Kiwi company that cares about its Kiwi customers, and this award shows how much they appreciate it.”

Canstar’s survey of nearly 3,500 Kiwis also revealed the dramatic shift in our lives, from interacting ‘in real life’ to the online realm.

Nearly one in four New Zealanders admitted they spend more time socialising online than they do in person. And the figure is heavily skewed by gender, with a full 30% of women saying their social lives are largely online, compared to 18% of men. The figure rises among young New Zealanders, with more than 40% of those aged between 18- to 29-years-old, saying they socialise more online than in real life.

Further, nearly one in five of us would rather spend less on groceries than lose access to broadband. That figure rises dramatically among those aged 18 to 29, with nearly a third happy to snub groceries in favour of being connected.

Nearly one third of us get all our entertainment online, and nearly half of us pay for a streaming service. Younger Kiwis are even more reliant on the web, with half of 18 to 29-year-olds getting all their entertainment online, and more than 60% having a streaming service. Netflix is by far the most popular streaming service.

New Zealanders’ needs for faster, more reliable broadband is behind the rise of NOW, which began in 2002 as a rural provider serving customers in Hawke’s Bay. From there, it grew and now boasts a nationwide network serving homes and businesses from Kaitaia to Bluff.

Despite the growth, NOW’s remains headquartered in Hawke’s Bay with a team of around 60 (and growing).

NOW has ambitious expansion plans in the coming two years in both its home and business markets. According to Mr White, “One thing that isn’t up for grabs, is the quality of service we deliver. It’s what’s made us and will remain our single point of difference in the years to come.”

NOW recently announced an entry into the mobile market in the coming year in response to customer demand. "We don't tend to bite off more than we can chew and we now feel operationally mature enough to tackle that big beast of mobile," Mr White said.

For further details please visit the Canstar NZ site, here.

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