Telecom has come up with a new plan to charge mobile customers based on five international zones.
Business solutions general manager Greg McAlister called the plan a "fundamental change" to how customers paid for global roaming.
"Rather than having to worry about 120-odd countries with off-peaks and on-peaks
or which carrier you're on, we're saying 'there are five zones and that's all you have to worry about'."
But the effect of averaging roaming prices across several countries could increase costs for calling from an individual country.
Industry commentators have pointed out Telecom's Australian roaming pricing as being higher than Vodafone's.
McAlister said calling and texting could become expensive when Vodafone customers were no longer roaming on its Australian network.
Under Telecom's new pricing, calls within Australia and back to New Zealand will cost 85c a minute - down from 99c. Text prices go up from 20c to 80c.
The company will release roaming data costs later this year.
Vodafone charges customers the same rate as their New Zealand pricing plan for local calls and to New Zealand while on the Vodafone Australia network. Texts cost 46c.
Once customers start roaming on other Australian mobile networks, the pricing switches to flat rate charges of between $1.50 and $1.75 for local calls and $2.60 to $6.90 calling New Zealand. Texts cost 65c.
Vodafone spokesman Paul Brislen said the company was able to offer competitive prices because it was represented in about 120 countries.
He said Vodafone customers were not required to use its local roaming partner and could select a cheaper mobile company.
Telecom's pricing is part of a three-year global roaming deal signed with Hong Kong mobile operator CSL in April. McAlister said the deal meant Telecom did not need to negotiate prices individually. Telecom shares closed down 4c at $4.59.
