Telecommunications in New Zealand:Regulating for Infrastructure Competition Reality, 12 July 2013

In February, Communications minister Amy Adams brought forward the planned review of the regulatory arrangements for New Zealand's telecommunications sector. The move was prompted by emerging tensions between the Commerce Commission's pursuit of its legislated objective to promote competition in the retail market for broadband connections to Chorus' copper network, and the government's objectives for rollout and take-up of its subsidised Ultra-Fast Broadband network. The regulatory review coincides with a review of the Telecommunications Service Obligation arrangements enabling certain telecommunications services to be available and affordable. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will shortly release discussion documents supporting these two reviews. ISCR invited telecommunications industry, policy, regulatory and academic stakeholders to participate in a forum to share international experience and stimulate debate and discussion to inform the review of New Zealand's telecommunications regulatory framework and Telecommunications Service Obligations currently taking place under Sections 101A nad 157AA of the Telecommunications Act (2001).