Chorus shares fell to their lowest after minor political parties said they would not support the Government if it tried to override the Commerce Commission's recommendation to cut internet prices.

The Government's support partners have come out against the proposal to override the Commerce Commission's recommendation of a cut to internet prices.

Telecom has joined forces with Sir Ray Avery's technology startup and will invest $5m to help develop a wristband that constantly monitors someone's vitals and stores the info online.

Internet provider Slingshot will undercut rivals on price when it offers customers ultra-fast broadband in the next fortnight as competition in the fibre market heats up.

Telecom's English Premier League deal was a test to see how customers use online TV, says chief executive Simon Moutter.

Poor, elderly, small town dwellers and Maori and Pacific people are being left on the wrong side of the "digital divide", according to a new survey of NZ internet use.

New Zealand telco Orcon says its sales jumped 70 per cent in the month after it launched an ad campaign fronted by internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom.

Liam Dann asks, "Has the Government lost its mojo? It is dealing with the broadband pricing issue the way my 5-year-old removes a Band-Aid - slowly and painfully."

Chorus shares have kept tumbling this morning, falling 10 per cent in early trading.

Telecommunications company Chorus's $95 million payout to investors is being questioned after the company's warning about its financial viability.

Xero briefly became a more valuable company than Telecom yesterday following another major rally in the online accounting software provider's stock.

Editorial: Only in the most extraordinary of circumstances should any government consider over-ruling the Commerce Commission.

Prime Minister John Key is refusing to rule out dramatic intervention such as injecting taxpayer cash into network company Chorus.

Internet companies are promising to pass on a big chunk of a price cut announced yesterday - one even says its customers could save $7.50 a month on their bills.

To accept the idea of being under constant observation is to accept imprisonment - ironically by the Land of the Free, writes Chris Barton.

The "grumpiest" telecommunications debate in more than a decade could be all but settled next week.

A "carrot" rather than a stick should be used to encourage people to move to ultra-fast broadband and keeping slower internet prices higher is the wrong way to get them to switch.

In part 2, telecommunications writer Hamish Fletcher asks whether Chorus is set to get a $450m windfall or is this just a fair return?

Broadband battle Part 1 of a 4 part inquiry Tomorrow: Will intervention transfer wealth from consumers to Chorus? Coming up: How intervention in the copper market affects the ultra-fast broadband scheme