Decision on mobile termination rates delayed

Telecommunications Commissioner Ross Patterson. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Commerce Commission has deferred its decision on mobile termination charges until May 5.

The decision was due to be published tomorrow, delayed from an original release date in March.

The commission said it required more time to reach a final ruling.

Mobile termination rates are the fees telcos charge each other to terminate calls or texts originating from rival networks, which amount to millions of dollars each year.

In December, the commission released preliminary draft regulations calling for lower wholesale voice and text pricing to encourage competition.

It recommended wholesale pricing for voice calls to a mobile network be set at a cost-based benchmark starting at a rate of 4.6 cents per minute.

Text message rates would be set at zero, down from 9c.

- NZHERALD STAFF