TUANZ - Telecomunications Users Association Of New Zealand

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Mobile termination - TUANZ lodges submission with Minister

Posted Tue 9 March 2010 @ 2:33 p.m. by Ernie

TUANZ yesterday lodged our Submission on the Commerce Commission's split recommendation in the long-running investigation into mobile termination access services.We urged the Minister to reject the recommendation of Telecommunications Commissioner Dr Ross Patterson and Associate Commissioner Pickering, and instead adopt the dissenting view recorded by Commissioner Anita Mazzoleni that mobile termination become a regulated service.Our full Submission is here.

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

Bird on a wire lashes out

Posted Sat 6 March 2010 @ 6:56 p.m. by Ernie

Usually you're safe from a Bird on a Wire unless you're directly underneath, but Theresa Gattung seems to be endangering everyone within a 360 degree trajectory.Media this weekend have reviewed various chapters. Its frustrating to see the book unveiled chapter by chapter but I guess its a part of the marketing mix - I'm told that media are expected to pay for the right to review a chapter. So maybe we're seeing the more sensational material in advance.According to the Herald she's slated the...

Categories: Broadband | Education | Events | Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs | Light relief | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Vendors | Wireless carriers

Drop the Rate Mate - Matthew Hooton vs Clare Curran

Posted Tue 2 March 2010 @ 9:54 a.m. by Ernie

There's a stoush been going on about a comment attributed to "Drop the Rate, Mate" campaign spokesman Matthew Hooton in yesterday's issue of "Communications Day."Hooton was reported as saying "We’ve spoken to members of the previous Labour government who feel they were bluffed by the ferocious corporate lobbyists working for the big telcos."Clare Curran responded with a savage blog posting which accused Hooton of attempting to position the Labour Party on MTRs.Hooton replied to the...

Categories: Regulatory | Wireless carriers

Split decision form ComCom on MTR

Posted Mon 22 February 2010 @ 9:27 a.m. by Ernie

Today's long awaited Commerce Commission recommendation to the Government on Mobile Termoination Rates is against regulation. It's a split decision.Telecommunications Commissioner Dr Ross Patterson, and Associate Commissioner Gowan Pickering, recommend acceptance of the voluntary offers from Vodafone and Telecom. Commissioner Anita Mazzoleni has recoreded a dissenting view - she prefers the government regulate.More reaction from TUANZ later today.

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

Mobile Termination - tomorrow is D Day

Posted Sun 21 February 2010 @ 11:44 a.m. by Ernie

Tomorrow morning, before the markets open, the Commerce Commission is likely to release its report to Minister Joyce on mobile termination. That's the word on the street anyway.Its a little while since TUANZ wrote to the Commission asking for this issue to be addressed. Seven years actually. That shows the ferocity of the lobbying from mobile operators over that time. The Commission has two options. It can take up the voluntary undertakings given by the three mobile operators - 2Degrees, Telecom...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

Mobile termination - Telecom makes a small move

Posted Thu 11 February 2010 @ 3:06 p.m. by Ernie

There’s been another small move in the mobile termination debate this morning. It's about the voluntary undertakings that the mobile carriers are offering as an alternative to regulation. Telecom has pushed out the start date of its voluntary glide path, from 1 April 2010 to 1 October 2010. The background is this. For the Commission to accept undertakings in this situation where there is a great deal of reciprocal business, it's crucial that the undertakings are broadly aligned. Until now the timing...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

European business users press for more regulatory attention

Posted Tue 2 February 2010 @ 2:48 a.m. by Ernie

INTUG, the International Telecommunications Users Group of which TUANZ is an active member, has for some time been pressing the European Commission to recognise the fundamentally different character of business user markets from consumer markets. The difference in needs is especially apparent in the EU because of the pan-European character of commerce, and the strong presence of head offices of multi national corporations who desire to purchase their telecommunications on a European-wide or...

Categories: Broadband | Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Regulatory | Wireless carriers

One 4g mobile network, many users?

Posted Mon 25 January 2010 @ 9:14 a.m. by Ernie

Could it work - a single 4g network shared by three or more mobile operators?The notion has been floated again this morning by Tom Pullar Strecker writing in the DomPost. And the Commerce Commission is clearly taking it seriously.I think it has real merit, provided the ground rules are clear. The devil of course, will lie in the detail.There are questions to ponder:- How will the costing formula work?- How will new operators be able to enter the market and join the shared network after inception;...

Categories: Broadband | Innovation | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

NZ has some of the world’s lowest use of mobile phones - Stanton

Posted Thu 21 January 2010 @ 11:22 a.m. by Ernie

John Stanton, Chairman of Trilogy which is the major holder of 2degrees Mobile, has been in New Zealand these past couple of days. This morning addressed a gathering of business leaders in Auckland – surprisingly well attended considering the time of year, though you could see the moths flying out of some of the business suits. He’s an immensely successful guy who’s made his pile by taking on monopolies and duopolies in the wireless industry. His address covered everything from the current plight...

Categories: Events | Innovation | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

Chivers gives a new dimension to the "Revolving Door"

Posted Tue 22 December 2009 @ 7:43 a.m. by Ernie

My counterparts in user associations around the place are fond of talking of the "revolving door" - the propensity for people in senior policy positions to move between incumbents, entrants and government. We've seen plenty of examples in New Zealand and in my humble opinion it has more often been good than bad.So take the case of Ralph Chivers. Go back not many years he was with Telecom. Later he went to the MED to spearhead operational separation. From there he...

Categories: Broadband | Fixed line carriers | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

ECTA, and Net Neutrality (Traffic Prioritisation)

Posted Tue 8 December 2009 @ 9:09 p.m. by Ernie

’m at the ECTA annual regulatory conference here in Brussels. Yesterday was a workshop day, and in the afternoon I attended an interesting and insightful session on net neutrality/network management. It was sub-titled “Policy Issues for the Future of Net-Based Service Provision.” There were eight panellists, all with a different perspective to offer. But I found two in particular, useful to my understanding of the issues. At one end of the spectrum, so to speak, was the peripatetic Richard Feasey,...

Categories: Broadband | Events | Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Vendors | Wireless carriers

A week of European conferences approaches

Posted Fri 4 December 2009 @ 3:14 p.m. by Ernie

I’m en route to Brussels and Paris for a week of industry conferences The first is the annual regulatory conference of ECTA, the European Competitive Telecommunications Association. It’s regarded as the best annual event globally on telecommunications regulation and always attracts several Kiwis, but I’ve never made it there before. Though I know several of the key people including Isla Godlovitch who TUANZ brought to Wellington three years back as keynote speaker for the TUANZ Telecommunications...

Categories: Broadband | Education | Events | Fixed line carriers | Innovation | Regulatory

Paul Budde has it wrong!

Posted Thu 3 December 2009 @ 11:19 a.m. by Ernie

I usually look forward to Paul Budde's annual foray into NZ. But his scathing criticism of the government's Ultra Fast Broadband plans during his Roundtable this week and in subsequent media comments have left me, and TUANZ Chairman Chris O'Connell who attended in Wellington, perplexed and disappointed.Rob O'Neill has summarised Budde's views in today's Computerworld. The criticism of Minister Joyce and the Ultra Fast Broadband process is extravagant - "totally ridiculous" and "asking...

Categories: Broadband | Education | Events | Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Vendors | Wireless carriers

ComCom monitoring shows a stellar year for competition

Posted Fri 13 November 2009 @ 9:06 a.m. by Ernie

The Commerce Commission is producing really high quality market monitoring reports these days, based in part on the regular OECD benchmarks but adjusting for specific New Zealand characteristics. The Monitoring report it released yesterday is very heartening from a user perspective. While we’re still a long way from the TUANZ vision of “Top Ten in the OECD for Communications Technology” we’re moving fast in the right direction. Please scan the whole report. Here’s some of what you’ll...

Categories: Broadband | Education | Fixed line carriers | Innovation | ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Vendors | Wireless carriers

Budde roundtable to focus on govt fibre plan

Posted Tue 10 November 2009 @ 10:10 a.m. by Louis

The upcoming BuddeComm Roundtable in Auckland and Wellington will explore what the next step is for the Government’s planned ultra-fast broadband roll-out. Hosted by world renowned telecommunications consultant Paul Budde the roundtable will be held in Auckland on Monday, 30 November and Wellington on Tuesday, 1 December. During the morning session, the various aspects of the Government’s plan will be presented, together with an overview of similar developments in Australia, the USA and Europe....

Categories: Broadband | Events | Fixed line carriers | Regulatory

Mobile termination another step towards the wire

Posted Mon 9 November 2009 @ 4:22 p.m. by Ernie

The long-running mobile termination rates debate came another step closer to the wire this afternoon.Earlier, the three mobile operators each submitted to the Commission a revised final Undertaking as an alternative to regulation. Each Undertaking, understandably, was conditional on reciprocity but each, understandably, was different. This left the Commission in a dilemma.This afternoon it published a letter written to Vodafone, 2Degrees and Telecom about the way ahead. It wants the three to sit...

Categories: Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Wireless carriers

ComCom takes Telecom to court over loyalty deal

Posted Fri 6 November 2009 @ 9:30 a.m. by Louis

The Commerce Commission has just announced it is issuing legal proceedings over loyalty offers made by Telecom’s Wholesale business unit. The proceedings will allege that three separate loyalty offers made by Telecom Wholesale between December 2008 and July 2009 are likely to have breached the unit’s obligation not to discriminate between service providers under the Telecom Separation Undertakings. In a statement released this morning the Commission says it considers that “breaches of Telecom’s...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Regulatory

TUANZ makes submissions on TSO and rural broadband

Posted Thu 5 November 2009 @ 2:55 p.m. by Louis

TUANZ has made submissions on both the Government’s proposal to reform the Telecommunications Services Obligations (TSO) and its proposed Rural Broadband Initiative. Both submissions can be accessed in the User News section of the TUANZ website. To view the submission on the TSO reform, click here, and to view the Rural Broadband Initiative submission, click here. The Government announced a proposal in September to replace the current TSO levy with a new industry levy to help fund rural...

Categories: Broadband | Fixed line carriers | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

Crown Fibre co formed; board announced

Posted Thu 29 October 2009 @ 3:23 p.m. by Louis

The Government has just announced the formation of Crown Fibre Holdings Limited and unveiled its inaugural board. Crown Fibre Holdings is the company that will manage the Crown’s investment in ultra-fast broadband infrastructure over the next 10 years. Simon Allen, former New Zealand Exchange (NZX) Chair and founder and former managing director of ABN AMRO New Zealand, will lead teh new board as chair. He is joined by board members Andrew Body, Miriam Dean QC, Dr Murray Milner and Keith Tempest. Making...

Categories: Events | Fixed line carriers | Regulatory | Vendors

Cell phone ban looming – essential reading for motorists

Posted Tue 27 October 2009 @ 12:09 p.m. by Louis

The New Zealand Police has outlined how it will enforce the new road rules that come into force this Sunday, November 1, that will ban the use of a handheld mobile phone while driving. In this article on the New Zealand Herald website, a police spokesperson says that while frontline officers will be allowed to use their judgement during an initial “bedding in” period, dangerous texting will not be tolerated. While it is good to see the Police will not go easy on the extremely dangerous, and incredibly...

Categories: Education | Events | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

NZ regulatory experiences help inform US regulator

Posted Fri 23 October 2009 @ 2:45 p.m. by Louis

New Zealand features in a report to US telecommunications regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as an example on the benefits of unbundling and operational separation of an incumbent carrier. The report, entitled “Next Generation Connectivity: A review of broadband Internet transitions and policy from around the world”, includes a comparative study of internet services in 30 OECD countries and was prepared by Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society for the...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | ISPs | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

Major milestone reached in fibre roll-out

Posted Wed 21 October 2009 @ 2:01 p.m. by Louis

Despite some anxiety about slow progress early on, TUANZ was very pleased to see the Government kicking off its search for partners in its ultra-fast broadband initiative today. Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce today released an “Invitation to Participate” in the partner selection process for its $1.5 billion investment initiative. The Invitation to Participate (ITP) document provides the terms and conditions of the government’s investment, and includes important...

Categories: Events | Fixed line carriers | Innovation | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

Fast broadband to become a legal right in Finland

Posted Mon 19 October 2009 @ 4:43 p.m. by Louis

The Finns are famous for many things, such as the sauna and this humorous advert, but from next year they will be able to claim to be living the first country whose citizens will have a legal right to fast broadband. The country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced that Finland's citizens will have the right to a 1 Mbps broadband connection as of July 2010. From this date, a 1 Mbps internet connection will be defined as a universal service. This means telecom operators defined...

Categories: Innovation | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

Does this sound familiar?

Posted Thu 15 October 2009 @ 11:31 a.m. by Louis

“A dramatic reduction in mobile phone charges may negatively affect the country's economy and communications sector.” This is an excerpt from a submission by mobile operator Vodacom, majority owned by Vodafone, to the South African parliament, as the government debates cutting interconnection rates. The South African government plans to push mobile and telecom operators to reduce interconnection fees, in an attempt to lower telco costs which it believes have impacted the country's growth. The...

Categories: Fixed line carriers | Regulatory | TUANZ policy | Vendors

NZTA clarifies rule on car cell phone ban

Posted Wed 14 October 2009 @ 2:52 p.m. by Louis

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has released a set of clear messages to clarify the new road user rule that restricts the use of mobile phones in vehicles. The new Land Transport (Road User) Amendment Rule 2009 comes into effect on 1 November and according to the Ministry of Transport is designed to discourage motorists from talking on their hand-held cell phones or texting while driving. Calling is permitted provided the phone is either mounted in a device or can be operated completely...

Categories: Events | Regulatory | TUANZ policy

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