TelstraClear Chief Executive Allan Freeth announced today that its residential mobile national calling rate has been slashed immediately by more than a third to just 19 cents a minute for new and existing customers. National calling includes all calls to NZ landlines and mobiles, any time of the day.
“I believe this will be the best rate in the market and underlies our commitment to consumers. We are providing the benefits of the new pricing issued by the Commerce Commission yesterday, even before we receive the benefit of lower costs ourselves, Dr Freeth said this morning.

“Because the plans we offer are simple and cost-effective for customers, we’re able to move quickly and make substantial price adjustments to benefit our customers. A similar thing happened last year when we doubled internet data caps, at no additional charge, on many of our residential plans.”

Dr Freeth says TelstraClear and its predecessors have been fighting against monopolistic rorts in the New Zealand telecommunications market for more than 20 years.

“I have framed on my wall a copy of the first phone bill that wasn’t a Telecom one. It’s a reminder of the long and fraught battle to bring down a monopoly and give New Zealanders choice and fair prices. Yesterday’s decision by the Commerce Commission shows that the war isn’t over. TelstraClear is committed to continue fighting.

“The decision on mobile termination rates reinforces the need to have the Commerce Commission involved in the Government’s planned ultra-fast broadband (UFB) roll-out. Perhaps now the Minister will see the light and agree, especially with this and Telecom’s $12 million fine for anti-competitive behaviour fresh in his mind.

“Nevertheless, we are not resting on this matter. We are running a TV ad campaign to help raise awareness of the immense problems the Telecommunications Amendment Bill will cause, including restricting consumer choice and raising prices. We have a website (www.ultrafastnz.co.nz) to help people understand the issue.

Yesterday’s decision by the Commission and our respect for it, dropping our prices as soon as the Commission has created the opportunity for us to do so, is testament to the need to have a referee in the game.