Commerce Commission report on numbering management

Media Release Issued 05 December

Commerce Commission releases report on numbering management

The Commerce Commission today released its report on telecommunications numbering in New Zealand currently administered under the Number Administration Deed (NAD).

The study, conducted under section 9A of the Telecommunications Act 2001, looks at the current international approach to numbering administration by examining the experiences and policies of mainly OECD countries that have conducted numbering reforms.

In the report the Commission has concluded that the New Zealand numbering regime does not meet international best practice. The conclusion follows consultation on the draft report on numbering management published in August 2008 which had set out the Commission’s preliminary views on the administration of numbers in New Zealand.

Since its establishment in 1999 the NAD has undertaken a series of reviews to improve the overall governance structure and operation of the numbering regime in New Zealand. Changes include the introduction of a new voting structure to replace the previous requirement for consensus decisions, new membership criteria to require New Zealand residency and the formation of the NAD and Telecommunications Carriers Forum (TCF) working group to review the governance structure.

Nevertheless, there is general recognition among parties that the New Zealand numbering regime requires further change. Commerce Commission Chair Paula Rebstock said, “The Commission believes that the study has confirmed the importance of having an efficient numbering regime in place to address both the current and future needs of the market. This is consistent with the policy objective of ensuring efficient administration of New Zealand’s numbering resources.”

“The Commission supports the TCF proposal to establish a cross-sector working party comprising representatives of the TCF, NAD, Commerce Commission, Ministry of Economic Development and any other parties to review numbering administration and governance issues,” Ms Rebstock said. The study on numbering management in New Zealand is available on the Commission’s website www.comcom.govt.nz under Industry Regulation/Telecommunications/ Inquiries, Reviews and Studies/Numbering Management Study/Report on Numbering Management in New Zealand.

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