Recommended Action

1. note that New Zealand's relative performance in most categories is unsatisfactory and typically there is a very significant gap between New Zealand pricing performance and that of countries in the top half OECD performance;

2. note that the Ministry is developing a regime to more closely monitor the telecommunications industry performance in delivering cost effective telecommunications services;

3. note that following implementation of an unbundled bitstream service via an Order-in-Council the Ministry recommends that you then formally write to Telecom outlining your broadband performance measure expectations including related broadband service benchmarking issues such as making progress in closing the relative performance gap;

4. agree that MED officials discuss broadband performance measures including broadband service benchmarking issues such as making progress in closing the relative performance gap, with the major broadband telecommunication service providers;

5. agree that this paper be circulated to other Ministers with an interest in telecommunications industry performance issues, for their information;

6. discuss with officials how you wish to communicate the findings of this report and benchmarking issues such as making progress in closing relative performance gaps.