Media Release - Vodafone commends the Select Committee for recommending changes to the draft legislation that will ensure Kiwis continue to benefit from a competitive, innovative and sustainable telecommunications market.

Vodafone Chief Executive Russell Stanners said, “We are especially pleased the Committee has listened to the concerns we raised around relaxing line of business restrictions on Chorus and LFCs and ensuring the anchor products are set fairly and in the interests of consumers.

“While Vodafone acknowledges the Select Committee has included a recommendation to keep fibre unbundling included in the legislation, we are concerned this doesn’t include a recommendation to have prices set independently by the Commerce Commission.

“Leaving unbundling pricing in the hands of Chorus and LFCs will prevent unbundling becoming a commercial reality, as was the experience with copper unbundling. This is a missed opportunity to accelerate innovation and competition for the benefit of New Zealanders.

“Now is the crucial time to ensure our industry is prepared for the next decade and beyond. As part of that we would like to see Chorus and the LFCs to outline their vision for New Zealand’s fibre future because in contrast to the levels of investment and innovation we are witnessing with wireless networks, LFCs are simply not keeping pace with technology advancements in fibre,” said Russell.