Marketing of alternative services to consumers during copper and PSTN withdrawal
With New Zealand transitioning away from copper-based services, including those delivered by Spark’s public switched telephone network (PSTN), consumers will be required to switch to alternative access technologies such as fibre, hybrid fibre-coaxial cable, wireless broadband and mobile, in or…
Retail service providers (RSPs) are responding by offering new and expanded services, each with different capabilities, specifications and expected performance, as they seek to retain existing customers and attract new ones.
We have been made aware through complaints, communication with consumer groups and letters from several providers, that some of the information being provided to consumers facing this switching decision may be incomplete, confusing or potentially misleading.
In November 2021 we published guidelines to provide advice on matters to be included in an industry retail service quality (RSQ) Code to ensure that consumers transitioning off copper-based services are able to make fully informed decisions about what alternative telecommunications service is best for them and to improve the marketing of broadband services to consumers.