PremiumChris KeallTechnology Editor/Senior Business Writer·NZ Herald·1 Jul, 2026 04:00 AM4 mins to read‌The Government is considering going back to an auction process for NZ's radio spectrum. Image / Getty CreativeThe last time the Crown auctioned radio spectrum to our telcos, in 2014, it enjoyed a $249 million windfall between Spark ($149m), Vodafone NZ ($66m) and 2degrees ($44m) as they made competitive bids on blocks of management rights.

The following round, in 2020, coincided with the pandemic. After some delays,