PremiumMedia Insider: Last call? The standoff over (and possible demise of) New Zealand’s remaining telephone boothsShayne CurrieNZME Editor-at-Large·NZ Herald·8 Jun, 2026 05:00 PM6 mins to read‌An artist's impression of what one of the new-look Spark phone booths would look like. Image / SparkAn artist's impression of what one of the new-look Spark phone booths would look like. Image / SparkIs it the last call for public phone booths? Spark has a nationwide plan to save and modernise them, and make calls free, but says it’s being stymied by Auckland Council – an assertion rejected by the council.

A high-stakes standoff between Spark and Auckland Council over digital advertising could