Mobile providers deliver clearer coverage maps and exit rights for consumers

The Commission’s Retail Service Quality Manager Andrew Young said the industry has responded positively to Commission guidelines issued last year, with providers now standardising their coverage maps and offering stronger protections for consumers. 

“Consumers told us they wanted to use coverage maps to compare providers but found this difficult because the maps weren’t consistent. We’re working with industry and have fixed that problem,” Mr Young said.  

“All providers now use the same coverage descriptors and thresholds, which makes comparisons easier and more reliable. On top of that, consumers are backed up by a clear exit right across all providers if real-world coverage doesn’t match what was promised,” Mr Young said. 

Mr Young said consumers can now see three key improvements:  

• Standardised coverage maps: All providers are now using the same descriptors – good, moderate and limited – with agreed signal strength thresholds. This makes it much easier for consumers to compare providers on a like-for-like basis.  
• Improved accessibility: Coverage maps are now easier to find, with direct links from provider websites and related plan information.
• Exit rights across the board: All providers now give new customers a clear right to leave without penalty if there is a material gap between the coverage shown on a map and the consumer’s real-world experience. 

Mr Young said these improvements mean consumers can place more trust in the coverage information provided by their telco and have stronger protections if things go wrong. 

“This is a win for consumers. The industry has worked constructively with us to land practical changes that make it easier for Kiwis to compare, choose, and switch mobile providers. It’s a great example of industry and the Commission working together collaboratively to improve outcomes for consumers,” Mr Young said. 

Background

The Telecommunications Act gives us powers to improve Telecommunications retail service quality (RSQ) including customer service, faults, installation, contracts, product disclosure, billing, switching, service performance, speed and availability. These provisions direct us to monitor RSQ and make information available in a way that informs consumer choice. They also give us the ability to review industry RSQ codes, provide guidelines to the industry on RSQ matters, and create Commission RSQ codes. 

The Commission developed its coverage guidelines following strong feedback from consumers who reported difficulty comparing mobile providers and frustration when coverage did not meet expectations. Recent consumer satisfaction surveys showed nearly one in five residential consumers and nearly one in three SMEs were dissatisfied with their mobile coverage. 

The three mobile network providers (Spark, OneNZ and 2degrees) worked together to agree coverage map standards as directed by the Commission’s guidelines.