Fibre deregulation on ComCom's 2026 agenda

In this edition:

• Telecommunications commissioner outlines 2026 work programme
• Carriers combine to fight fraud
• 2degrees builds Lyttelton private 5G
• New Zealanders less keen on internet

Fibre deregulation on ComCom 2026 agenda

Telecommunications commissioner Tristan Gilbertson says the Commerce Commission’s focus in 2026 is reviewing fibre regulation, improving retail service quality and considering the deregulation of services.

He outlined the year’s work programme in a letter sent this week to industry groups and consumer advocates.

“Our focus this year is on fibre, retail service quality, deregulation and monitoring,” the letter says.

Fibre input methodologies

A major part of the programme is the ongoing review of the fibre input methodologies which started a year ago. This concerns the rules that shape how fibre networks are regulated.

The review must be completed by 2028.

The commission plans a phased approach. Draft decisions on the first tranche of issues and on cross-sector cost of capital settings are expected this month (March 2026). A second tranche of issues will follow, with draft decisions scheduled for early 2027.

The regulator says the goal is to “streamline and improve regulation to ensure it keeps pace with change and remains fit-for-purpose”.

Consumer matters 

Consumer issues are another priority.

The commission will focus on problems with switching between telecommunications providers and concerns about affordability, particularly around interest-free phone deals and debt management practices.

Rather than impose new rules immediately, the regulator wants the industry to lead improvements through the Telecommunications Forum.

The commission says issues relating to switching and debt “should be improved as far as possible by the industry itself”.

An action plan on switching is expected in the first half of the year. Work on debt and affordability should follow in the second half.

Significant deregulation agenda

The commission also signals a significant deregulation agenda.

Decisions are due this year on services including the Mobile Termination Access Service, fibre voice services, point-to-point fibre links and fibre transport services. It will also assess whether to proceed with deregulating the public switched telephone network.

Any final deregulation decisions will be recommendations to the communications minister.

Alongside this work, the commission plans to streamline its annual monitoring report on the sector and consult on the future of the Measuring Broadband New Zealand programme.

Carriers get behind GSMA fraud and scam protection

Spark, One NZ and 2degrees have signed the GSMA Open Gateway Memorandum of Understanding. It’s a collaboration that will see them work together on standard network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and will enable real-time fraud and scam protection for customers.

The first stage will develop APIs for functions such as ‘Number verification’ and ‘Sim swap’. These are in demand in sectors such as banking, financial services and online shopping. They could, for example, use a secure API to check a phone number had not been compromised by a Sim swap.

Lyttelton Port Company turns to 2degrees for private 5G

2degrees and Ericsson are behind the private 5G network at
Lyttelton Port Company (LPC).

The network uses Ericsson technology implemented by 2degrees. It supports applications including mobile asset tracking, remote control of heavy machinery and vehicles, job dispatching and safety alarms. Streaming video from on-site cameras is used for safety and security.

While the private 5G network is the primary connection, 2degrees’ mobile network provides backup.

Lyttelton Port Company’s Jackie Dawson says the port chose to partner with 2degrees because of its trusted core network and local expertise, supported by Ericsson, which has a global track record in complex industrial environments such as mining and ports.

2degrees chief business officer Andrew Fairgray says: “Internationally, industrial enterprises are increasingly turning to private 5G solutions when they need fast data transmission, lower latency and the ability to connect a wide range of devices in a business-critical operational area.

“Private 5G networks are seen as the gold standard for critical applications in factories, warehouses, airports, mining and ports. They provide dedicated connectivity, performance and data privacy.”

Lyttelton Port Company says it is looking at how it can use the technology to connect environmental sensors for wind and stormwater monitoring, as well as drones which feed data into AI tools and are used for inspections of containers, cranes and pavements.

See also:

In other news...

• Unlike everything else, telecoms costs are not rising — TCF blog post
  Over time users get more for each dollar spent.
• One NZ chief enterprise director Mike Purchase is leaving — Reseller News
  Minor management restructure.
• Foreign spies may have a US government iphone hacking toolkit — Wired.
  Potentially affects tens of thousands of phones.
• Apple’s cut-price iPhone 17e — NZ Herald (paywall)
  What's missing when you spend less?

Fewer New Zealanders positive about the internet

New Zealanders spend an average of three hours of personal time each day on the internet. This year’s Internet Insights survey commissioned by InternetNZ found we’re spending slightly less time on social media every day. But that’s relative, the actual amount of time spent there is considerable.

InternetNZ commissioned research shows New Zealanders remain heavy internet users, even as concern grows about its impact.

Social media remains the biggest draw. Forty-six percent say it is one of their top three online activities, followed by email and streaming. Facebook is the most widely used service, while TikTok users spend the most time on it.

Despite the high levels of consumption, sentiment about the internet is becoming more negative. Seventy-two percent say its benefits outweigh the drawbacks, down from 90 percent in 2019.

Inappropriate content

Concerns centre on children accessing inappropriate content, personal data security and misinformation.

The research also shows artificial intelligence is moving quickly into mainstream use. Four out of five respondents say they used AI tools in the past year, mainly through search engines or chatbots. Yet more than half say they are worried about AI’s impact on society, particularly the risk of harmful content and misuse.

The research also highlights uneven online experiences. Māori, Pacific peoples and people with disabilities report higher levels of online harm or harassment and greater concern about harmful content.

InternetNZ says the findings show the internet is deeply embedded in daily life, but public confidence and trust are under pressure.

This time last year Ericsson won One NZ’s business

The deal saw the Swedish equipment supplier take over a five-year project to modernise One NZ’s core network.

Five years ago, regulators grappled with allocating the 6 GHz spectrum band. It’s an issue that remains largely unsettled. While most countries have at least partly opened 6 GHz for WiFi, many are still debating how to split it between unlicensed and mobile use. Regulators continue consultations and revisions to rules. Allocation and sharing strategies differ widely.

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