Govt Announces Changes to Telecommunications Act

The Government is making changes to the Telecommunications Act which will sharpen up the powers of the Telecommunications Regulator, speed up the implementation of his decisions and give the Communications Minister more discretion.

The Government has been reviewing the working of the Telecommunications Act much of the year.

The changes recommended include:

* Key access terms and conditions set by the Telecommunications Commissioner will be able to apply to all companies seeking them. At present, each company has to seek a ruling from the commission.

* Telecommunications companies get quicker access to regulated terms and conditions set by the commission where existing contractual arrangements are not as good as the regulated service.

* The Minister has wider discretion to accept, reject or call for reconsideration of part of a recommendation from the commissioner rather than having to accept, reject or call for a reconsideration of a full recommendation from the commission.

Communications Minister David Cunliffe said the local loop unbundling recommendation from the commissioner was a good example, because it was a whole package the Government had to accept or reject.

It could not accept parts, and ask for others to be reconsidered, he said.

He declined to say which parts the Government had not been happy to accept.

Cunliffe said the changes would not change the primary purpose of the act to promote competition in telecommunications services for the long-term benefit of consumers.

The act was too slow and clumsy, and the changes would speed up implementation of rulings from the Telecommuncations Commissioner, he said.

The changes tackled telecommunications companies who were “gaming” the act.

An example was a company locking other players into contracts before a commission ruling that set better terms and conditions, Cunliffe said.

The changes also provide for setting up independent consumer complaints schemes.

Telecom’s share price yesterday fell 1c to 622 on the telecommunications news.