The Commerce Commission has cleared Telecom Leasing Limited (Telecom) to acquire the management rights from the New Zealand Government for the radio frequency range between 2520 and 2540 GHz, together with the corresponding natural pair management rights in the 2640 - 2660 GHz range.

The acquisition relates to spectrum auctioned by the Ministry of Economic Development in late 2007. The Commission considers that Telecom's acquisition is unlikely to prevent or inhibit competition from developing in the provision of WiMAX or 3G cellular services.

Commerce Commission Chair Paula Rebstock said that the Commission was satisfied that the proposed acquisition will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in any of the relevant markets.

Public versions of the written reasons for the decision will be available as soon as practicable on the Commission's website, www.comcom.govt.nz, under the Clearances Register.