By Richard Braddell
WELLINGTON - The Commerce Commission is to make a preliminary inquiry into internet service provider connection arrangements decreed by Telecom last week to determine if they may breach the Commerce Act.
Internet service providers and telephone companies are meeting in Auckland today to discuss the regime which they say
will concentrate internet market development and service quality with Telecom.
Telecom has determined that users with ISPs other than its own subsidiary Xtra will have to pay 2 cents a minute after the first 10 hours a month of a conventional dial-up service unless the switch to a new 0867 access code.
The access code would ensure that all internet calls went through Telecom's network, regardless of whether the customer and the ISP were based on Telecom or other networks, possibly leaving Telecom in control of traffic and service standards.
A commission spokesman, Vince Cholewa, said the commission had received one complaint as of yesterday but had decided to make an inquiry in any case.
The inquiry could be the prelude to a more in depth probe lasting several weeks.
