Chorus’ regulator rort fails: broadband bills should fall

Kiwi families will be better off now that Chorus’ standover tactics on copper broadband have failed, so long as retailers pass on the drop in wholesale prices, Labour’s ICT spokesperson Clare Curran said today.

“The irony is Chorus’ attempts to rort the regulated framework for copper broadband have been thwarted by their own mismanagement.

“Chorus had to drop plans to charge more for a new unregulated ‘Boost HD’ service while throttling existing regulated services as the new service had no pick-up.

“This means the Commerce Commission no longer has to investigate a likely law breach and that from December all households on copper broadband services should see a drop in their bill as long as the service providers pass on the savings.

“That’s great news for Kiwi families, businesses and broadband providers.

“Chorus needs to stop trying to dodge the Commerce Commission which is in place to protect us all from rapacious monopolies.

“As the monopoly supplier of most of New Zealanders’ wholesale broadband connections, it’s time to play ball instead.

“Today, it has been forced to. In the coming weeks any attempts by Chorus to further thwart the regulatory environment should be closely watched,” says Clare Curran.

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