KEY POINTS:
The Commerce Commission is recommending prices for mobile roaming not be regulated.
Roaming allows subscribers of one mobile network to use their mobile telephone handset on a different mobile network to make and receive calls.
As a result, a new entrant to the market would be able to offer nationwide services while it builds its own network.
The commission said today it considered there were insufficient grounds to recommend extending the mobile roaming service to include the determination of price.
Vodafone and new mobile company NZ Communications already had a commercial agreement for the provision of roaming services, the commission said.
In the commission's analysis, the difference between the price in the commercial agreement and a price likely to be set under designation was too small to justify intervention, when the cost delay and uncertainty of designation was taken into account.
In its final recommendation to the Minister of Communications, the commission did propose some amendments to the national roaming service.
Telecommunications Commissioner Ross Patterson said the commission's recommendations were likely to facilitate new entry, which would lead to more competition, greater choice of providers, lower prices and more innovative products and services.
The commission recommended amendments be made to promote new entry by ensuring the roaming service was technology neutral and to clarify some uncertainty in the current service.
- NZPA
