Commission decision will help telco policy review

Commission decision will help telco policy review – InternetNZ

Media release - 3 April 2013

InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) welcomes this morning’s decision by the Commerce Commission to continue its review of the cost based price of copper broadband services - the broadband services that the vast majority of New Zealanders purchase.

“The price that the Commission determines at the end of this process will be an important benchmark for the Government’s forthcoming review of the policy framework for telecommunications regulation,” says InternetNZ spokesperson Susan Chalmers.

The law leaves the Commission with a clear duty to complete the pricing review. The industry and the markets need to know what the final price would be under the law. Completing this price review will improve consumer and investor certainty.

The Government earlier announced that it intends to legislate to defer the date at which the new, lower prices will come into effect. It has also started a full review of the policy underpinning telecommunications regulation.

“Whatever plans for legislation the Government settles on, we hope they will welcome the Commission’s work as a credible and useful input for the important policy review that kicked off in February," says Chalmers.

Overall, along with most of the telecommunications industry, InternetNZ supports the Commission in this decision.

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