2degrees leads mobile charges fight

Funnyman Rhys Darby is the face of 2degrees' marketing campaign. The new network is campaigning about mobile termination charges. Photo / Supplied

The fight over mobile phone charges is gaining a new dimension with several national organisations banding together with new mobile operator 2degrees to launch a campaign to regulate termination charges.

Organisations in the new group include Consumer New Zealand, Federated Farmers, the Federation of Maori Authorities, the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand, and the Unite union.

Hawkes Bay-based telecommunications company Airnet NZ is also involved.

The group are putting their weight behind the Commerce Commission's draft recommendation on mobile termination rates, launching their campaign with a press conference in Wellington at 2pm today.

A website has been set up at droptheratemate.org.nz.

Mobile termination prices are the wholesale charges mobile phone companies charge for terminating calls or texts from other fixed or mobile networks.

In a draft report released a month ago, the commission recommended mobile termination prices should be regulated, and that undertakings submitted in lieu of regulation by Vodafone, Telecom and 2degrees should be rejected.

The notice advising of today's campaign launch said Telecom and Vodafone used mobile termination rates to prevent genuine competition in the telecommunications market.

- NZPA