Vodafone gains time from regulator in mobile probe

Vodafone has successfully lobbied the Commerce Commission to push out the timetable for an investigation into the regulation of mobile termination rates.

In a letter to the commission, Vodafone outlined concerns and said it was prepared to launch a judicial review in response to what it saw as substantial errors in the commission's process of determining whether the costs the mobile operators charge rivals to access their mobile networks were too high.

Vodafone spokesman Paul Brislen said the letter was "a procedural thing" asking the commission to change the order of the investigation.

In response, the commission has agreed to provide further information to the mobile operators to help them prepare commercial agreements as an alternative to regulation - a move which has added a month to the deadline for completing the investigation.

The investigation is now due to conclude in December, with a recommendation to Steven Joyce, Minister for Communications and Information Technology.

NZ Communications, which is set to launch a mobile network in competition with Telecom and Vodafone, said it was "very disappointed" with the delays.

"In less than four months the process has been delayed by four months," said NZ Communications chairman Bill Osborne.

"The commission is now further away from reaching a conclusion on the matter than it was at the end of last year."

A spokesperson for NZ Communications, Bryony Hilless, was able to confirm the company was still on track for its network launch.

No date for launch has been released by NZ Communications but Hilless denied rumours of any delays to the timetable.