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8.1 List of Interconnect Agreements

The following table lists all the significant telecommunications network interconnect agreements or in cases where no interconnect agreement was required the market entry date, from 1991 to June 1997:

PSTN= Public Switched Telephone Network;
TNZ=Telecom New Zealand;
BS=BellSouth;
C=Clear;
«» to and from;
» one way.
[1] BellSouth says it terminated the 1993 Agreement as of March 1996, but continues to pay the rates set out in that agreement while negotiating towards a new agreement. Telecom says the agreement is still in force as it was not validly terminated. Both parties are presently negotiating a new interconnect agreement.

8.2 Recent Developments in Interconnection

8.2.1 Numbering

The New Zealand Telecommunications Numbering Advisory Group has reached agreement on the technical means of providing initial telephone number portability and initial cellular number portability between service providers. This is designed to allow a customer to transfer their telephone or cellular number to an alternative service provider of its choice, which can be expected to increase competitive pressures on service providers.

In November 1996 BellSouth made a commercial offer to Telecom for the provision of number portability.

In late December 1996 Telecom made a number portability pricing offer for telephone network number portability, cellular network number portability and the porting of numbers between different types of networks.

In December 1996 Telecom proposed that operators agree to charge each other 0.5 cents/minute for each call-minute redirected to a ported number, and a one time fee of $30 for establishing or making changes to a ported number in the originating party's network. This charge would only apply to a call forwarding solution. A new price would have to be agreed before an intelligent network solution could be introduced.

An agreement was reached in May 1997 between Telecom and Telstra for the provision of number portability on similar terms to these.

The introduction of cellular number portability and the porting of numbers between different types of networks (inter-network number portability) has been agreed to in principle by all operators, subject to agreement on satisfactory commercial terms and conditions.

BellSouth and Clear strongly objected to Telecom's number portability pricing offer.

Substantial progress has been made in the introduction of 0800 number portability. Operators have agreed on an implementation program and are working to meet the proposed introduction timing of the second quarter 1998.