Telecom gets a let-off

Telecom's failure to meet a deadline for its wholesale business offering has prompted calls for the Telecommunications Commissioner to intervene.

The company had promised it could offer the service by July 1, but the start date is now September.


Late last year, the commission recommended not regulating the market, which provides high-end services to business customers, because of Telecom's assurances.

The commission gave Telecom until July 1, saying it would revisit the issue should Telecom not meet the deadline.

But yesterday the commission said it was accepting Telecom's undertaking to supply the service, even though the new regime will not take effect until September 30.

Commissioner Douglas Webb, speaking at the Conferenz Telecommunications and ICT summit in Auckland, said the primary issue was pricing.

But TelstraClear chief executive Rosemary Howard said that was not good enough.

"The commission doesn't seem willing to do anything about this slip so we're calling on the Government to step in and ask the commission to regulate."

Howard said there were outstanding issues with Telecom's offer, including service issues and pricing.