New Zealand consumers are enjoying the benefits of a more competitive mobile phone market with cheaper cross-network calls and text messaging since the Commerce Commission forced carriers to cut the rates they charge each other for ending calls on rival networks.
Cross-network traffic on mobile phones increased between February and
April this year, and the discount for on-network calls has narrowed, the regulator said in its latest report.
The volume of calls between networks rose 1.4 per cent in the period and is up 5.3 per cent since May last year when the commission forced carriers to cut mobile termination rates, while text messaging rose 1.6 per cent in the quarter, and is up almost 11 per cent since the regulator acted.
The discount for making a call to a mobile on the same network has dropped to 35 per cent from 48 per cent in May last year.
Off-net revenue fell to 34c a minute at the end of April from 41c in May 2011, while on-net revenue increased to 22c from 21c.
