Telecom Sets New Direction

Telecom Sets New Direction

Last week, a new regulatory regime was announced that fundamentally changes the telecommunications market in New Zealand.

“Telecom understands that the public supports these changes. We are committed to reviewing our strategy and future planning to respond to the new environment,” Telecom Chairman, Dr Roderick Deane, says.

The new environment will require a different approach from Telecom. Dr Deane said he wanted to make it abundantly clear that the Board and management recognise the need for this to occur.

A team of senior executives has been established to develop recommendations for Telecom’s new direction. It will be lead by Theresa Gattung, working with executive team members Kevin Kenrick and Mark Ratcliffe.

The objectives will encompass several major elements:

- Reshaping the company’s overarching strategy;

- Reviewing wholesale arrangements, including an in-depth review of lessons from models in other countries;

- Implementing Voice over Internet options for business and residential customers;

- Developing the roll-out of faster, interactive Next Generation Broadband services based on ADSL2+;

- Developing simpler, easy-to-use services reflecting the convergence of fixed and mobile services;

- Facilitating personalised customer-driven combinations of services, in a simple and easy to use way;

- Simplifying the operating model and customer offerings to facilitate lower costs and lower prices, including wider use of self-service arrangements.

These expand on a number of initiatives that we have been working on for some time.

Dr Deane said that the Telecom Board supports fully the company’s Chief Executive, Theresa Gattung, and her management team in pursuing this new direction.

“Telecom is a cornerstone of New Zealand’s modern economy; our networks and our services are part of the daily lives of all New Zealanders. We take that very seriously.

“We remain committed to providing a world-class telecommunications service to all New Zealanders and to doing our best to ensure that the provision and use of telecommunications services in New Zealand continue to thrive in the new environment.”

Telecom will be making a further announcement about aspects of these changes in June.

ENDS

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