Spark customers with Xtra Mail accounts will have to pay $5.95 a month to use them from mid-May.

It's citing rising maintenance costs as the reason.

Spark product director Tessa Tierney says the company considered scrapping the service altogether.

She says it's hard to say what its future will be.

"So it'll be interesting to see over the next few weeks - and months - what decisions customers make. But at this stage, I couldn't tell you how many will decide to leave."

LISTEN ABOVE

Spark customers with Xtra Mail accounts will have to pay $5.95 a month to use them from mid-May.
It's citing rising maintenance costs as the reason.
Spark product director Tessa Tierney says the company considered scrapping the service altogether.
She says it's hard to say what its future will be.
"So it'll be interesting to see over the next few weeks - and months - what decisions customers make. But at this stage, I couldn't tell you how many will decide to leave."
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Tessa Tierney: Spark product director on the decision to charge users for Xtra Mail service

Chaos in UK airports, after an hours-long air traffic control outage led to the cancellation of at least 2,000 flights and left passengers stranded.

National Air Traffic Services CEO Martin Rolfe has faced criticism following the outage, and there's growing calls for him to lose the role. 

UK correspondent Enda Brady says this latest incident cost airlines millions and industry experts and passengers have voiced outrage.

LISTEN ABOVE

Chaos in UK airports, after an hours-long air traffic control outage led to the cancellation of at least 2,000 flights and left passengers stranded.
National Air Traffic Services CEO Martin Rolfe has faced criticism following the outage, and there's growing calls for him to lose the role.&nbsp;
UK correspondent Enda Brady says this latest incident cost airlines millions and industry experts and passengers have voiced outrage.
LISTEN ABOVE

Enda Brady: UK correspondent on the UK's air traffic control head being under pressure to quit following recent glitch

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6128dee5-3842-457f-8c65-b4c100854104/transcript

An artificial intelligence researcher who worked with Anthropic recently quit the industry, and accused the AI giants of 'gambling with our lives' to grow the technology.

Jacob Coxon spent the past three years pre-training AI models, beginning at OpenAI and moving to Anthropic, but has since claimed neither of the big companies are 'acting responsibly'.

Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie says this is the latest in the case of AI experts 'sounding the alarm' over the risks of the technology.

LISTEN ABOVE

An artificial intelligence researcher who worked with Anthropic recently quit the industry, and accused the AI giants of 'gambling with our lives' to grow the technology.
Jacob Coxon spent the past three years pre-training AI models, beginning at OpenAI and moving to Anthropic, but has since claimed neither of the big companies are 'acting responsibly'.
Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie says this is the latest in the case of AI experts 'sounding the alarm' over the risks of the technology.
LISTEN ABOVE

Sam Dickie: Fisher Funds expert on the AI researcher quitting Anthropic and warning of the tech's risks

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ac6e4aca-5894-4481-8844-b4c100828121/transcript

New data shows red meat prices are likely to remain strong, but there's a growing risk of market volatility.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand has warned the margins are likely to tighten, and they've cited rising input costs and the risk of dry El Niño conditions creating additional pressure.

The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.

LISTEN ABOVE

New data shows red meat prices are likely to remain strong, but there's a growing risk of market volatility.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has warned the margins are likely to tighten, and they've cited rising input costs and the risk of dry El Niño conditions creating additional pressure.
The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.
LISTEN ABOVE

Jamie Mackay: The Country host on the market volatility potentially impacting red meat sector

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/53415cbf-7944-4a69-8f88-b4c1007fa9ef/transcript

Tessa Tierney: Spark product director on the decision to charge users for Xtra Mail service

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