Vodafone faces 27 charges of misleading

WELLINGTON: The Commerce Commission has laid 27 charges against Vodafone New Zealand, alleging the telecommunications company misled consumers into thinking its FibreX product was a full fibreoptic broadband service like those delivered over the governmentsubsidised ultrafast broadband network.

The charges were filed in the Auckland District Court and relate to conduct in the Wellington, Christchurch and Kapiti regions, where FibreX is offered, between October 26, 2016 and March 28, 2018, the regulator said in a statement.

The matter will be called in the court for the first time on May 22.

‘‘The commission alleges that by naming its broadband service ‘FibreX’, along with its advertising of FibreX on billboards, radio, instore, online and in direct marketing, Vodafone misled consumers into thinking that FibreX was a full fibreoptic broadband service, when it is not,’’ the Commerce Com mission said.

‘‘The commission also alleges that Vodafone’s website misled consumers about the options of broadband services (including full fibreoptic broadband) available at their addresses.’’

FibreX is a broadband service delivered over Vodafone’s hybrid fibrecoaxial (HFC) network. The HFC network uses both fibreoptic and copper cabling to deliver broadband to consumers’ homes.

By comparison, full fibreoptic broadband services are delivered over the governmentsubsidised ultrafast broadband network, which uses only fibreoptic cabling to deliver broadband to consumers’ homes.

Last year, the regulator warned MyRepublic, 2degrees Mobile, Spark New Zealand and Vodafone about conduct it considered breached the Fair Trading Act, saying the telecommunications sector generated a high number of customer complaints despite efforts by the commission to improve compliance.

Vodafone’s warning related to a 12month promotion. — Scoop