Time to put the call through to Telecom and Vodafone on mobile ripoff

Alliance Party media release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday 2 July 2009

The Alliance Party of New Zealand says the news that New Zealanders will have to wait years for Telecom and Vodafone to be made to bring down excessive mobile charges is a travesty.

Alliance Communications and IT Spokesperson Richard Mitchell says it's time to put the call through to the mobile giants and tell them that the game is up.

"We know what the problem is – so let's fix it."

He says the Commerce Commission has proposed forcing the cost of mobile calls down to bring New Zealand into line with the rest of the world but is acting like a "toothless tiger."

Mr Mitchell says meekly asking for voluntary reductions from the corporates was embarrassingly naive.

He says the mobile phone executives won't be able to believe their luck and will be laughing all the way to the bank.

"Just like with electricity, the New Zealand public are being held hostage in telecommunications by corporate cartels who seem to be calling the shots."

"These companies need to be told – not asked."

Mr Mitchell says the National Government's pussyfooting on the issue is because they are more concerned about their cosy relationship with big business rather than looking after the public interest.

He says regulation would bring New Zealand in line with similar countries.

Mr Mitchell says even with the massive savings consumers would gain under regulation, the mobile companies would still be making big profits.

He says telecommunications infrastructure, like electricity or transport infrastructure, needed to be run to provide an affordable top class service for consumers and industry, rather than to be milked like a cash cow for overseas shareh

ENDS

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