New Zealand's competition enforcement and regulatory agency, The Commerce Commission, will continue to regulate telephone number portability but has proposed changes to improve its efficiency and workability.
The Commission has just released a draft determination proposing to continue the regulation of number portability services for both local and mobile telephone numbers for another five years.
Number portability enables a customer to switch telecommunications providers while retaining the same telephone number.
The Commission’s Dr Stephen Gale says being able to keep the same phone number “makes it much easier and convenient for consumers to switch between providers, which well over a million New Zealanders have done since number portability was introduced in 2007”.
{loadposition peter}“This enhances competition in the market as it removes a disincentive for consumers to leave their current provider if they see a better deal elsewhere.
“We are proposing to extend number portability through to December 2021 with some minor changes. These include extending the standard hours of operation to guarantee consumers can switch providers on a Saturday.”
Dr Gale said the Commission also intended to tidy up some terms to make it easier for telecommunications providers to undertake network updates.
Submissions on the Commission's draft determination have to be submitted by 1 December.