Spark’s Free Lightbox Bids Goodbye This July

If you’re an avid fan of Spark’s free Lightbox subscription, now is the time to enjoy all your favourite Lightbox shows, as this free service to your mobile or broadband plan is coming to an end.

As part of Sky TV’s acquisition of Lightbox at the start of this year, they are keeping complimentary access of eligible Spark customers to Lightbox until mid-2020. As we are now in June, there are only a few days before the free subscription ends.

Under this $6 million deal, the merge of Lightbox with Sky TV’s Neon features signals the end of the free subscription, which is July 7th. According to Spark, this will affect 300,000 Kiwi subscribers – so set terms and conditions have been made to allow for an easy change of services.

With Glimp’s commitment to keep Kiwis updated about their broadband and mobile plan options, here’s what you should know about this expected phase-out of Lightbox - especially for loyal customers of Spark and this service.

Leeway for Spark subscribers

As Spark values their loyal customers, they are giving them time to choose whether to disconnect their current service or purchase the new discounted subscription. 

For subscribers who choose to discontinue, they won’t have to pay an early termination fee for fixed-term plans or notice period fee for pay monthly plans. This is applicable until July 15 for New Zealanders who want to cancel their Spark plan or exit any of Spark plans completely. 

For subscribers who choose the discounted subscriptions, they can purchase the new plan for only $9.95 per month, giving them $4 off the Neon plan (normally priced at $13.95). This comes with the basic subscription only; extra costs for newly released movies apply. 

New features for the new Neon

To commence a smooth transition, Spark announced that they would not be selling Lightbox on any of their platforms starting June 21. For those looking to purchase Lightbox, it’s best to purchase Neon instead, or choose a different provider. 

According to Sky, the new Neon subscription would include technologies both from Lightbox and the existing Neon. However, reports show that the new Neon seems to be mostly based on the established Lightbox features that most Kiwis love.

Since the merge was instituted, New Zealanders, especially Neon subscribers, have become worried about their settings, watchlists, and bookmarks if the app does a complete refresh. Sky have addressed this, saying that customers don’t need to worry, as their current settings would remain. It would just take a few days for the settings to reappear, as they will need to transfer all the data in their system first.

Glimp opens doors for switching

Many Kiwis choose Spark as their broadband or mobile provider, as Lightbox can easily be purchased as an extra service. Now that Lightbox is being phased out, many Kiwis want to switch. If you’re one of these New Zealanders who want to exit Spark completely, you can always switch providers using our comparison website.

Spark broadband plans start at $69 for fibre connections and $99 for copper broadband. By comparing these plans using our tool at Glimp, you can get a similar fibre plan for an exclusive deal of $42 (depending on your location).

If you’re switching from a Spark mobile plan, there are a number of great value mobile packages that also come with plenty of add-ons and extras. Just determine what features you need, then you can easily make your choice among the results given.

By making the switch now, a half-price broadband deal awaits you! If you want to find more options according to the offers of different providers, start your comparison here at Glimp! We have a wide range of comprehensive broadband and mobile plans with exclusive deals and discounts. 

Simply tell us your details and we’ll give you a tailored pricing plan in just a few minutes. Compare broadband plans today and start saving on your utility costs with Glimp!