ISPs bite back after watchdog airs disputes scheme list

leaving customers stuck in an unhelpful position.”

Contact responds

“While all of our energy customers have access to an independent energy dispute resolution process through Utilities Disputes Limited (UDL) we acknowledge there is a gap when it comes to managing dispute resolution when it comes specifically to our broadband customers,” Contact Energy chief retail officer Matt Bolton told the Herald.

“For Contact customers, broadband is offered as an addition to an energy account and we continue to actively review the best forums for dispute resolution services for our broadband customers.”

Where’s Starlink?

There have also been grumbles from some of the larger ISPs that Starlink — the Elon Musk-owned satellite broadband provider — that’s made a splash with its launch over the past 24 months, is absent from the TDRS.

A person close to Starlink’s NZ rollout told the Herald that Starlink has quickly nabbed 10,000 customers.

“Starlink is not included because we understand it does not yet earn telco revenues of over $10m annually. The list will be updated as new information comes to light.”

The Musk-owned firm, which charges $159 per month for its broadband, appears to have hit annual recurring revenue of close to $20m for the current financial year.

Inspire Net’s Watts said while there was a tier for providers with revenue of between $10m and $50m, which involved a TDRS fee of $23,538 per year (Tier 3 on the TDRS’s scale), there was also a Tier 4 rate of $1177 per year for providers with revenue below $10m. The big telcos on the top tier pay $485,465 per year.

“Out of 160 ISPs I think it sucks that they only picked four of us,” he said.

Telecommunications Carriers Forum chief executive Paul Brislen said his organisation encouraged all telcos to join — in part because it made industry-wide problems easier to solve.

“The TCF strongly believes all telcos should belong to the TDR scheme.

“It provides a vital backstop for customers, increases trust and accountability for the sector and means as an industry we can identify and fix any systemic issues as early as possible.”