Communications Minister Paul Swain has welcomed news that key players in the communications sector have agreed on a design for the new Telecommunications Carriers Forum.

Telecom, TelstraClear, Vodafone, and the Telecommunications Users Association (TUANZ) have announced an agreement and said they will continue to consult with other industry players in the near future.

“The forum is and industry body independent of the government,” Paul Swain said.

“And that’s the way it should be.

“The forum is being set up by industry to develop industry Codes for regulated services in accordance with the new Telecommunications Act 2001.

“It will also be able to develop voluntary Codes for services that are not regulated.

“I welcome news that these industry players are working together and are making progress. Hopefully this signals the beginning of a new era in the telecommunications industry,” Paul Swain said.

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