Ministry’s next regulatory review – telecommunications sector

The Ministry for Regulation’s fourth regulatory review will be into the telecommunications sector.

The review was announced today by Regulation Minister David Seymour and Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith.

Ministerial press release: Government launches regulatory review into telecommunicationsopen_in_new
 

Telecommunications are used by almost every New Zealander every day. It’s a multibillion-dollar industry contributing around 2.5 per cent of New Zealand’s GDP.

Better connectivity means improved reliability for businesses, people accessing digital healthcare, and remote learning for children.

Reliable and high-quality digital connectivity networks improve productivity and are essential to growing the economy and easing the cost of living.

The Ministers say they decided to implement the review on the back of concerns raised with them by the sector.

The Ministry for Regulation and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will work closely with industry leaders, consumer groups and regulators to develop terms of reference for the review, which will then be approved by Cabinet.

Note: the review scope will not include:

• the Telecommunications Development Levy (TDL)
• the Radiocommunications Act 1989 (radio spectrum)
• the Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Act 2013
• the vertical separation of wholesale and retail fibre services that applies to Chorus and the other local fibre companies.