Business News Feed

Spark adds coverage to rural Maruia on alternate road to East Coast post-quake

Spark has recently switched on a metro cell site in the community of Maruia, bringing much needed mobile coverage to the rural community, as increased road traffic passes through the area, following the closure of State Highway 1 last month.
 
Maruia is located on State Highway 65, which is now the alternative route between Picton and Christchurch, as NZTA continue to clear a path along the east coast highway to Kaikoura.
 
With an expected increase in traffic along this route, Spark has boosted the localised coverage, allowing Spark customers a place to stop on the roadside to make a phone call or send a text.
 
“Maruia is an ideal place for motorists to pull over to take a break, which makes providing localised coverage for our customers in the area, even more important as they can take a call,” Spark Head of South Island Paul Deavoll said.
 
A metro cell is a small-scale cell site delivering service to a more localised area. It is placed at the local Chorus Exchange, and the antenna allows mobile coverage to extend approximately 400m in radius. This means mobile coverage is now available on the main road, the Maruia community, and around the Maruia Motel.
 
Spark has previously used a similar site in the South Canterbury township of Albury, to provide a service for the local community to great success.
 
Maruia Motels manager Debbie Sherman commented: “With the noticed increase of traffic in the area and with the motel also being busier the metro cell has made a real difference to the people living here and for our guests.
”Before the metro cell was installed, Spark customers would have to travel further up the road to be able to make a phone call,” she said.

Optimism, hope and prosperity

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Trade update
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BNZ – BusinessNZ PSI (November 2016)

New Zealand’s services sector experienced a further pick-up in expansion during November, according to the BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index (PSI).
 
The PSI for November was 57.9.  This was 1.3 points up from October, and the highest result since August (A PSI reading above 50.0 indicates that the service sector is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining).

BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said that despite challenges for a number of businesses in recent weeks, the healthy level of overall activity for November was a welcome result. 

“Comments from respondents show that for some, the recent earthquakes have presented obvious challenges.  However, seasonal factors such as the lead in to Xmas and improving weather conditions have helped make the November result the second equal highest in 2016.”
 
BNZ Senior Economist Doug Steel said that “the November PSI was a picture of strength, and contributes to the broad based growth the service sector has shown over 2016”.

View PSI Time Series Data

Services Landscape
Tis (More Than) The Season
November’s Performance of Services Index (PSI) is a picture of strength. After looking a little slower a couple of months ago, the PSI re-stretched its legs up to 57.9 in November and well above its long term average of 54.1.
Read more  →

Broad Based Growth
Service sector strength has been broad based. In the year to November, service industries have had an average PSI reading well above the breakeven 50 mark.
Read more  →

Capacity Pressures
Interestingly, PSI employment is only marginally above average. This is despite the demand indicators like sales and new orders being so strong.
Read more  →

Firm Demand Signals
Christmas quarter sales look to be shaping up well judging by the ongoing strength in the PSI distribution sector indicators. Although these figures are not seasonally adjusted, retail, at 60.7, is above its November average.
Read more  →

View full BNZ Services Landscape  

BNZ – BusinessNZ PSI (November 2016)

New Zealand’s services sector experienced a further pick-up in expansion during November, according to the BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index (PSI).
 
The PSI for November was 57.9.  This was 1.3 points up from October, and the highest result since August (A PSI reading above 50.0 indicates that the service sector is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining).

BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said that despite challenges for a number of businesses in recent weeks, the healthy level of overall activity for November was a welcome result. 

“Comments from respondents show that for some, the recent earthquakes have presented obvious challenges.  However, seasonal factors such as the lead in to Xmas and improving weather conditions have helped make the November result the second equal highest in 2016.”
 
BNZ Senior Economist Doug Steel said that “the November PSI was a picture of strength, and contributes to the broad based growth the service sector has shown over 2016”.

View PSI Time Series Data

Services Landscape
Tis (More Than) The Season
November’s Performance of Services Index (PSI) is a picture of strength. After looking a little slower a couple of months ago, the PSI re-stretched its legs up to 57.9 in November and well above its long term average of 54.1.
Read more  →

Broad Based Growth
Service sector strength has been broad based. In the year to November, service industries have had an average PSI reading well above the breakeven 50 mark.
Read more  →

Capacity Pressures
Interestingly, PSI employment is only marginally above average. This is despite the demand indicators like sales and new orders being so strong.
Read more  →

Firm Demand Signals
Christmas quarter sales look to be shaping up well judging by the ongoing strength in the PSI distribution sector indicators. Although these figures are not seasonally adjusted, retail, at 60.7, is above its November average.
Read more  →

View full BNZ Services Landscape