KEY POINTS:
TelstraClear has re-drawn toll call boundaries in the first of a number of new services it has planned for this year.
The "Big Back Yard" deal announced by the company today offers free regional phone calls to homes in the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch phone book area.
The plan was welcomed by the Telecom Users Association of New Zealand head Ernie Newman.
He said the arbitrary free local calling areas determined years ago by Telecom have created artificial boundaries within wider communities.
"TelstraClear has offered a better deal to people in places like Orewa and Rangiora who have suffered for years by having to pay toll call rates to Auckland and Christchurch respectively. Its a significant breakthrough for the communities in those areas," said Newman.
He said the next step is to balance the inequity affecting customers outside of the main centres, particular those in smaller towns.
"These towns have a tiny range of subscribers within their free calling area - sometimes only a few hundred. We hope in the future that either TelstraClear or some other service provider will grab the opportunity to offer regional free calling to these communities on a similar basis."
The deal:
* Available to residential customers in areas covered by the latest Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch phone books .
* Auckland - includes Auckland, Pukekohe, Hibiscus Coast, Helensville, Warkworth and Great Barrier local calling areas.
* Wellington - includes Wellington and the Kapiti Coast.
* Christchurch - includes Christchurch, Ashburton, Darfield, Rangiora, Culverden/Waiau/Hanmer Springs, Akaroa, Amberley, Cheviot and Kaikoura. It excludes calls to and from the Chatham Islands.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
