Who does the Code protect?

The Commission has designed the Copper Withdrawal Code to protect consumers during the transition from copper to faster technologies such as fibre.

Read more

Copper Withdrawal Code PDF (615 KB)

Chorus are required to give consumers at least 6 months’ notice of any change, as well as information to understand the transition and, if the consumer orders a fibre service, Chorus must have it installed at their home before copper services can be stopped.

Chorus can only stop supplying copper services where households can access the same services over the fibre network. In areas where fibre is not currently available, Chorus must continue to supply copper services.

Consumer disputes under the code

Consumers can make a complaint to the Telecommunications Disputes Resolution (TDR) service if Chorus is not complying with the Code. The TDR service provides free and independent help to resolve disputes with telecommunications providers.

We note that the Commission is not a disputes resolution service.

Resources

  • We provide some copper transition FAQs on our website.
  • A fact sheet for consumers on the transition from copper services to fibre services has also been developed by the Telecommunications Forum (TCF), supported by TDR and the Commission.

Read more

Copper transition fact sheet PDF (3 MB)

Additional background

In 2018, the Government updated the Telecommunications Act to allow Chorus to stop providing copper where fibre is available.

The Code came into effect on 1 March 2021 setting out minimum requirements that Chorus must meet before it stops supplying copper services.

Following completion of the Government’s Ultra-Fast Broadband initiative in 2022, 87% of New Zealand’s population has access to fibre. This means large parts of the traditional copper phone and broadband network are no longer needed.

We completed a review of the Code in 2023 and published the Code with amendments, in February 2024. The amendments were intended to:

  • improve and simplify the process of notifying end-users
  • allow flexibility in communication channels
  • provide additional pause mechanisms to help resolve any process issues
  • further clarify the intention behind existing provisions.

For enquiries, please contact telecommunications@comcom.govt.nz.