Spark New Zealand has joined the Smart Cities Council ANZ (SCCANZ) as a cohort member.

As New Zealand’s largest telecommunications and digital services company, “Spark continues to be a market leader in shaping smarter cities, towns and regions across the nation and it is fantastic to have them participating in our activities to drive a more sustainable Aotearoa”, said Adam Beck, SCCANZ’s Executive Director.

“As councils prepare to scale smart cities across the nation, Spark’s contribution to our community will enable opportunities to advance Internet of Things, data leadership and digital equity outcomes.”

Jannat Maqbool, New Zealand Director for SCCANZ said of the announcement, “Spark is a proven innovator in the smart city space so we are excited to have them join us as a member. This builds on a first for Aotearoa – recently being announced the first country in the world to have all of its local Council’s as members of the Smart Cities Council.”

Spark IoT Lead, Tony Agar says: “We’re looking forward to working collaboratively with the team at Smart Cities Council to help our urban environments become more sustainable through enabling digital solutions.

“New Zealand’s population is growing, and with that comes challenges such as increased pollution, overcrowding and the need for added public safety measures. Connected infrastructure can optimise operations and ultimately, create cities that are better places for us to live and work.

“For councils in particular, we’ve demonstrated ways they can realise their smart city ambitions including installing sensors in rubbish bins, car park spaces, streetlights, pavements, and air quality monitors – all powered by IoT and 5G technology so councils can harness data to make better decisions.”

With SCCANZ having a full program of events and initiatives for 2022, including our Digital Twin program, data leadership advocacy, Future of Place project and a renewed Smart Cities Week, smart cities action in Aotearoa New Zealand is looking promising.