Telecom Concludes Residential Phone Rentals

Telecom concludes residential phone rentals

Telecom New Zealand is to stop charging for its residential rental phones service. This service retirement follows Telecom's decision in 2001 to stop offering new rental phones to customers, and reflects the ease and affordability with which consumers can now own home telephones.

All residential rental phone customers will be able to keep the telephone they currently have, and from their July bill will not pay rental charges for it. Telecom will cease to offer replacement services for rentals from July.

Telecom GM Consumer Marketing, Kevin Bowler said that Telecom's decision to withdraw from the residential rental phones market was taken as part of the company's ongoing review of its products and services, which were constantly evolving in the face of the changing market.

"We've been balancing the fact that a reasonable number of customers still choose to rent with the fact that demand is dropping and it's now much easier and more cost-effective to buy a phone," he said.

Telecom will continue to offer lease phones to business customers who usually require multiple, more complex handsets or switchboard systems.

Affected customers will be contacted individually by Telecom over the next week.

A full range of home telephones are for sale at Telecom stores and online at www.telecom.co.nz/homephones with prices ranging from $29.95 - $199.

ENDS

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