Spark and Connexa to boost mobile cell tower resilience across New Zealand

Spark, in partnership with Connexa, has been awarded a contract by National Infrastructure Fund and Financing (NIFF) to enhance the resilience of 295 Spark mobile cell towers across New Zealand by upgrading their battery back-up capacity to 24 hours – helping maintain mobile connectivity for longer during power outages for up to 1.7 million addresses [1].

Power outages are the leading cause of telecommunications disruption during extreme weather events, rather than damage to cell towers or network infrastructure. All mobile towers require a continuous power supply to operate and are equipped with battery back-up to keep mobile service running while mains power is being restored. If power outages continue beyond battery capacity, generators are deployed to provide extended back-up power.

“Extending battery back-up will enable over a million Spark customers to have access to mobile data, text and calls during prolonged outages and support up to a total of 1.7 million addresses in key regions such as Northland, Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, and Nelson to call 111, regardless of their telco provider, when mobile services are disrupted.”

Connexa CEO, Rob Berrill said “As New Zealand’s leading mobile tower infrastructure provider, we play a critical role in supporting the resilient infrastructure that underpins mobile connectivity when conditions are at their toughest. We’re proud to be partnering with Spark and NIFF on these upgrades to strengthen back-up power at key sites to 24 hours so communities can rely on mobile services for longer during extended outages.”

Spark’s General Manager of Network and Operations, Mike Paranihi, says “Building resilience into a telecommunications network requires a layered approach, and Spark makes significant investments every year into strengthening network resilience across New Zealand. However, severe weather events can make it difficult to quickly access sites to restore power or deploy generators, particularly in areas impacted by flooding, slips, or road closures.

The increased battery capacity is co-funded by Connexa, Spark, and the Government. Of the $6.4 million allocated by the Government to this fund, $4 million has been contracted to support the upgrades for the 295 sites.

‍The upgrades will start in the second half of 2026 and are expected to be completed by June 2027.

‍[1] 24-hour battery backup coverage reaches approximately 1.7 million addresses nationwide, including overlapping coverage into neighbouring areas.‍ ‍‍ ‍‍