Telecom Adjusting International Calling Prices

Mon, 29 Jul 2002
Telecom Adjusting International Calling Prices

Telecom is changing its residential international calling prices from 1 September 2002, resulting in price reductions for many calls to 37 countries and increases for 11 countries.

Telecom’s General Manager Marketing, Kevin Kenrick, said many calls will be cheaper to 11 Asian, 17 European and eight South Pacific countries.

“The price of two–hour capped calls to many European and Asian countries will be reduced by up to 50%, and two-hour calling caps will now be available to China and Malaysia, Mr Kenrick said.

“Standard prices for off-peak calls and calling caps to Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland and the USA will remain unchanged, although peak hour calls, from 8am to 6pm weekdays, will increase.”

Among the calling destinations benefiting from the price reductions are calls to Hong Kong, with peak period calls falling by 40% and off-peak calls by 32%, and Western Samoa, with peak-hour calls being reduced by 35%. Off-peak calls to 17 European countries will drop by 10%.

Call prices to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and off-peak calls to Tonga, the Cook Islands, Niue and New Caledonia will increase.

Two-hour capped calls to France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands will fall by 50%, from $20 to $10, while calling caps to Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea will drop by 28% from $25 to $18.

Mr Kenrick said that Telecom had reviewed its international calling prices to take into account a number of factors including changing customer calling behavior, the competitive environment and the costs associated with international calls.

The changes apply to international calls made from a residential fixed line and do not apply to international calls made to, or from, mobile phones.

For individual international pricing details, visit www.telecom.co.nz or call 123.

Also, from Sunday 1 September 2002, a flat rate local call from Telecom payphones, which allows for unlimited calling time, will increase from 50 cents per call to 70 cents per call.

The increase reflects the cost of providing flat rate local calls and maintaining the payphone network.

Ends

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