Telecom cuts broadband prices

The country's largest internet service provider is cutting its prices and offering customers faster download speeds at no extra cost.

Telecom's Xtra is offering the same broadband prices for both business and residential customers, meaning a big drop for its business clients.

The plan includes download speeds of up to 3.5 Megabits per second and increased upload speed of 512 kilobits per second.

The company says existing residential customers will be upgraded to faster plans at no cost. The plan will be launched in early April.

The new speeds will be available to other ISPs on a wholesale basis.

The changes follow December's Commerce Commission determination over the unbundled Bitstream Service.

- NEWSTALK ZB