Telecom’s Unbundled Product On Target

TELECOM’S UNBUNDLED PRODUCT ON TARGET

Telecom is totally on track to deliver unbundled services to its competitors.

“We’re well down the road building the service and talking with other companies to deliver unbundled partial circuits (UPC) exactly as planned in June,” Telecom General Manager Government & Industry Relations Bruce Parkes said today.

Telecom is totally on track to deliver unbundled services to its competitors.

“We’re well down the road building the service and talking with other companies to deliver unbundled partial circuits (UPC) exactly as planned in June,” Telecom General Manager Government & Industry Relations Bruce Parkes said today.

“We’ve been consulting with the industry since February and designed the product to suit competitors’ needs. Key terms including price for UPC have been available on Telecom’s website since 13 April 2004.

“The UPC product is about to be trialled, and the project is on track for delivery on 1 June 2004. It’s ironic that TelstraClear is complaining given that we estimate it would stand to save about $6 million through switching from current products to UPC.

“We are frankly appalled at TelstraClear’s use of misleading information to try to make its case.

“The fact is, we have been consulting the industry about the shape of the UPC service and getting extremely good feedback from companies that are interested in serving their customers rather than serving up lobbying nonsense.

“All key terms on the service have been available on a readily accessible website since 13 April. We have also answered all of TelstraClear’s questions on the service.

“It’s also a fact that UPC will contribute to a wholesaling and unbundled regime that is far more attractive for competitors than anything Telstra offers in Australia – but Telstra doesn’t want you to know that.

“Since last year we have been trying to get Telstra to drop the confidentiality clauses that hide its dealings with us in Australia, including the costs.

“We have challenged Telstra to release the terms of its wholesale offerings in Australia. But Telstra is strangely reluctant to do that because it knows the facts would not look good.

“The pricing for this service is to be offered on a basis that compares very favourable with similar offerings elsewhere in the world, and TelstraClear knows this.

“It’s one thing to play hard, but it’s not the Kiwi way to twist the facts like this,” Mr Parkes said.

For information on UPC, see the Telecom Wholesale Services website -

http://www.telecom.co.nz/content/0,3900,203848-202766,00.html

ENDS

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