Dull on Revenue Side, Spark on Cost Side

Cost control was on full display in Spark's flat year-on-year fiscal 2021 first-half EBITDAI of NZD 502 million. A NZD 30 million cut in costs more than offset the NZD 28 million or 2% fall in revenue to NZD 1,796 million—one that was more curtailed by one-off factors (NZD 17 million fall in wire maintenance charges, NZD 26 million COVID-induced fall in roaming) than declines in underlying demand. In fact, adjusted mobile service revenue was up 4% to NZD 441 million, lifting Spark's share of the mobile service revenue market by 20 basis points to 40.4%.