One NZ in court over neglecting ‘vulnerable’ consumers

The Commerce Commission says it has filed proceedings in the High Court against One NZ “for multiple breaches of the 111 Contact Code — some of which the commission alleges are still ongoing”.

The telco says it’s surprised and disappointed the regulator has taken the action, saying it fully co-operated over “technical breaches”.

With the Ultrafast Broadband (UFB) fibre rollout now complete, copper service can now be withdrawn in areas where UFB fibre is available — as long as six months’ notice is given under the Copper Withdrawal Code, introduced by the commission in 2021.

For all its drawbacks, ageing copper phones at least kept working during a power cut. The code requires telcos to offer an alternative, such as a basic mobile and battery back-up if necessary.

Telecommunications Commissioner Tristan Gilbertson said the code was in place to ensure that vulnerable consumers can contact the 111 emergency service during a power cut at their home.

“We’ve brought this action in light of One NZ’s disregard for the code and the safety of vulnerable consumers.”

Gilbertson said given widespread compliance across the rest of the industry, One NZ’s alleged failure to inform and protect its customers was a serious concern, particularly as it had the second-largest number of landline connections in New Zealand.

One NZ spokeswoman Nicky Preston said the company was disappointed to learn and had fully cooperated and been transparent since becoming aware of the concerns.

“We were open with the commission about where we had gaps, such as missing the deadline to contact some existing vulnerable customers within 12 months.

“We also missed ensuring that certain annual communications went to all landline customers about the 111 Code. However, we continued to share the information via other channels including on our website, as part of the sales process, and in welcome emails. We remain committed to upholding the requirements of the code. We have co-operated throughout the process including acknowledging where we had gaps, which are now rectified.”