We are currently working on developing and implementing a new regulatory regime for fibre fixed line access services (FFLAS) under Part 6 of the Telecommunications Act.
The legislation aims to ensure New Zealand has the right regulatory framework for communication networks from 2020, to meet the needs of consumers and businesses, and to help keep the economy growing.
For fibre services, the Act requires us to:
create input methodologies, which are the upfront rules and processes that apply to the regulation of Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) fibre, to ensure a stable and predictable regulatory framework
set revenue limits and information disclosure requirements for Chorus and local fibre companies
deregulate copper lines in areas where fibre and copper compete.
Additionally, the Act allows us to:
prescribe specified points of interconnection for establishing fibre handover points.
Across telecommunications services more broadly, the Act also requires us to:
collect and publish information on retail service quality for consumers
review industry retail service quality codes and industry telecommunications disputes resolution schemes to ensure they are working effectively
create mandatory Commission retail service quality codes.
The Commission has received a joint application for clarification under section 156AN of the Telecommunications Act 2001 (Act) from the following local fibre companies (LFCs):
In November 2018, Parliament amended the Telecommunications Act. The legislation now regulates the new fibre networks being rolled out nationally as part of the $7 billion ultrafast broadband initiative.
The 2011 amendments to the Telecommunications Act introduced information disclosure requirements for the companies building the ultrafast broadband fibre network and Chorus's copper network.
The Act allows us to specify points of interconnection (POIs) which are places in wholesale networks where responsibility for fibre services is handed over from a fibre provider to other commercial service providers.
Prior to the next regulatory period beginning on 1 January 2025, the Commission must consider whether there are reasonable grounds to start a fibre fixed line access service (FFLAS) deregulation review under s 210(3) of the Act.
