Todd family's Nova adds telecommunications to energy services

Wednesday, 7 November 2018

Nova Energy has teamed up with Christchurch's Enable and broadband providers in other cities for one-stop shop billing.

Nova Energy has joined the bundled services fray by offering its 80,000 customers single billing for their broadband, telephone, power and natural gas.

It will compete with other companies such as Trustpower, Contact, Spark, Genesis, Slingshot and Orcon which have similar services.

Nova Energy is offering single billing for energy, phone and broadband services.

Nova is a subsidiary of energy producer Todd Corporation, owned by the rich list Todd family with an estimated fortune of $3.5 billion.

It entered the retail energy market about four years ago and is the 7th largest electricity retailer and 5th largest natural gas retailer in New Zealand.

Babu Bahirathan chief executive of Nova Energy.

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Nova has now expanded into telecommunications after clinching deals with local broadband fibre companies.

The new broadband and phone services are available to residential customers in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Wellington and Christchurch, with the company looking to expand to business customers and into other areas of New Zealand next year.

Like its competitors, Nova is offering special discounts for signing up.

Companies often offer long term discounts across all their bundled services.

Customer satisfaction research and ratings business Canstar Blue provides general information and comparisons about the companies offering bundled services.

Other consumer-focused companies which provide information and compare energy and broadband prices include SwitchMe and Power Compare.

Although bundled customers receive just one bill, the energy and telco usages are broken down so they can judge their consumption of energy versus broadband.

Nova's chief executive Babu Bahirathan said the advantages for customers were savings in money and time, and easy switching from other providers.

He said Nova's customer services team, based in Whakatane, delivered quick responses and assistance where required.

Customers who wished to keep separate billing or providers could opt to buy the broadband service separately.

Nova would also help customers upgrade to fibre for free.