Promising operational separation progress welcomed

Promising operational separation progress welcomed

Media Release - for immediate release Thursday 5 April 2007

InternetNZ President Colin Jackson today welcomed the government's release of a consultation document setting out the proposed shape of operational separation that will be applied to Telecom.

"On an initial reading, the proposed model will be a robust separation model that should deal with Telecom's ability and incentive to discriminate against third party access seekers," Mr Jackson said.

"Over the next week InternetNZ will carefully consider the document in detail. If that study shows the need for further industry discussion, either to clarify the detail or debate issues of concern to prospective access seekers or to Telecom, InternetNZ will convene an industry workshop along the lines of the January workshop held in Palmerston North, which provided some input to government for the creation of the current discussion document.

"InternetNZ also notes that there is some logic in Telecom moving beyond the proposed model by appointing seperate Chief Executives for the three proposed divisions. This idea has been discussed in the media and has not attracted negative attention. It could be a clear signal from Telecom's board that they are serious about making operational separation work as well as possible.

"Finally, I congratulate the government and the Ministry of Economic Development on pulling together a complex piece of work like this at a reasonable pace," Colin Jackson said.

InternetNZ will be making submissions in response to the discussion document and will publish these at the time it lodges them with the Ministry.

ENDS

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