Commission hangs up on TelstraClear

The Commerce Commission says it will not investigate the regulation of toll-free calls originating from mobile telephones.

TelstraClear wanted the commission to widen its inquiry into mobile phone charges to include voice call "origination rates", charged by mobile operators, because of their impact on toll-free operators.

But commission spokesman Osmond Borthwick said it declined TelstraClear's call because the toll-free market was competitive.

Other factors included toll-free operators being able to block calls from mobile networks and callers being able "in many cases" to use a landline as an alternative to a mobile.