Rural customers deserve real choice

Rural customers deserve real choice

2degrees is excited about the opportunity to provide competitive mobile services to rural New Zealanders.

The company notes today’s announcement of five bids for the Rural Broadband Initiative and will be interested to see how important questions about the best interests of customers and use of public money are answered.

Chief Executive Eric Hertz says 2degrees will seek assurances that public funding leads to a real choice for rural customers, rather than simply creating a ‘high speed’ version of the mobile duopoly New Zealanders lived with for so long.

“2degrees has invested in a brand new 3G network, halving prepay prices and vastly improving data prices,” says Mr Hertz.

“Without public funding, none of the mobile operators would be considering fast rural broadband investment. We need to make sure that funding sees more than two players competing equally and vigorously for rural customers’ business.”

Mr Hertz says history has proven how well New Zealand mobile users fare when competition is left to the incumbents.

“That’s why the detail behind promises of open access is so important.”

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