By JOSIE CLARKE
A High Court judge has blocked Telecom's attempt to cut off free Internet services offered by competitors.
Justice Robertson ruled yesterday that Telecom must reconnect three Internet numbers it disconnected at the weekend until a hearing next week.
In a separate development, Telecom temporarily backed down in a dispute with one user, who is challenging its right to charge for Internet use.
Faced with a Disputes Tribunal hearing, it waived the bill it sent PC World columnist Geoff Palmer - but warned that it will charge him again next time.
Both arguments are over numbers called 0867 prefixes, which Telecom introduced last September, saying it had to manage a surge in Internet calls that threatened to swamp the network.
Telecom charges customers who do not use its prefix 2c a minute for data calls after 10 hours a month on the Web.
Telecom's court battle yesterday was with i4free, the free Internet service launched at the weekend that wants to use 0867, and two other providers.
At issue is the way i4free intended to connect users to the Net by readdressing calls to i4free on to Clear's network. Telecom claims that breaches the terms of its 0867 connection service.
The dispute left the Muscular Dystrophy Association without its Internet and e-mail service after Telecom disconnected the 0867 number to its Internet service provider, Attica, on Sunday.
Attica had loaned its 0867 number to i4free late on Friday night to support the fledgling provider.
Association spokeswoman Kim McWilliams said it had lost its main communication link with its 1000 New Zealand clients, many of whom could not use a telephone because of their disability.
"It's almost criminal that people can lose their communication channels at the flick of a switch."
In the High Court at Auckland yesterday, Justice Robertson ordered that Telecom reconnect the 0867 i4free number it disconnected on Friday and the 0867 Attica number it disconnected on Sunday.
He also ordered Telecom not to disconnect either of those numbers or any other 0867 number held by CallPlus, Attica or i4free before next week's interim injunction hearing. A date for that will be set tomorrow morning.
Justice Robertson stressed that his ruling was nothing but a "holding mechanism."
But i4free chief executive Annette Presley said she felt vindicated.
John Land, counsel for i4free, CallPlus and Attica, told the court that his clients' use of Number Readdress was not part of Telecom's service, and did not come under Telecom's direction. There was nothing in Telecom's contract to prevent Internet providers from diverting calls to another carrier's lines.
Communications and Information Technology Minister Paul Swain said the competition law that dealt with the telecommunications industry was not adequate.
"There will be changes before Christmas. That's as fast as it can happen."
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