Econet comments on Vodafone’s claims

Econet comments on Vodafone’s claims

Econet Wireless New Zealand (Econet) has responded to Vodafone Commercial Manager’s comments to The Line on 8 August. Vodafone’s offer to Econet for 900 spectrum was a complete façade intended to mislead the Regulator and the MED.

“Vodafone knows full well the spectrum it put on the table expires in four years, making it near worthless when considering a 20-year business case. Vodafone also knows full well that pricing of national roaming and co-location is not contestable in New Zealand,” said Econet Chief Project Director, Tex Edwards.

Econet has challenged Vodafone to publish the details of any roaming agreement that has been signed by any new entrant mobile company in New Zealand and compare it with roaming agreements signed in country’s where roaming agreements are genuinely contestable (because there is more than one GSM network), namely Ireland (Meteor), South Africa (CellC) and Australia (Hutchison).

Econet has also commented further on the MVNO manoeuvres of Telecom and Vodafone.

“These ‘plans’ cannot be described as wholesale activities. They are merely re-branding exercises designed to confuse and mislead regulators and policy-makers. If Econet was offered a true wholesale MVNO opportunity, it would abandon construction plans and participate on a wholesale MVNO.”

“This flurry of media releases by Vodafone was similar to Telecom’s behaviour pre-unbundling. There is a mobile regulated services conference next week and at the Commerce Commission and there is a Telecommunications Bill in front of a select committee. The incumbents are trying to somehow position themselves as benevolent monopolists,” said Edwards.

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