Telecom New Zealand Plans to Keep CDMA Network

Following much controversy and media reports on plans to start a second UMTS network in New Zealand, Telecom New Zealand has told analysts that Telecom’s CDMA-based mobile network will continue to provide its services for a long time to come.

Reporting last year’s rollout of the high speed Mobile Broadband network to main towns and cities throughout New Zealand, and the forthcoming upgrade to the faster CDMA EV-DO Revision A network put Telecom on a strong path for the future, analysts heard at a Telecom briefing day in Sydney.

Chief Operating Officer Simon Moutter said “... we have no plans for an alternative UMTS network for the foreseeable future. Our commitment is to ensure that Telecom Mobile customers continue to have access to world class technology and services, and our technology path is committed to delivering that."

Citing Telstra plans to retire the Australian CDMA network, Simon Moutter said Telecom is confident they will deliver an Australian roaming solution to their customers, regardless of Telstra going ahead with its signalled shut-down of its CDMA network.

Telecom executives said the company’s commitment to the CDMA technology path reflected its global scale, the growing range of handsets in the market and the future evolution path of the technology.

Telecom confirmed it was on track to shut down its TDMA-based 025 network in 2007.