Vodafone is pleased the Commerce Commissions annual report on local telecommunications shows the market is increasingly competitive, despite it not taking into consideration new products that give New Zealanders extraordinary value.
The report compares New Zealands progress in fixed line, mobile and broadband with a number of other countries from around the world and Vodafone is delighted to be leading the charge in the mobile sector.
"We know that ultimately, the Commerce Commission wants the best possible value for New Zealand consumers. That's something Vodafone is delivering through value driven plans, like You Choose Base Plans and innovative products such as Family," says Vodafone's GM of Corporate Affairs, Tom Chignell.
Vodafone Family allows four mobile callers to call, TXT and video call each other as much as they like for $20 on one bill-payers account. The Commission claims that such plans cannot be benchmarked effectively, and so has left them out of the report.
"The Commission acknowledges that mobiles prices are falling and we're seeing a corresponding rise in the number of customer minutes on the network each month. Customers are paying less and doing more," says Mr Chignell.
The Commission has also declined to consider Vodafone's most price sensitive plans, the You Choose Base plans.
"We have acknowledged the Commissions previous concerns about conditions of these plans and have removed the restrictions the Commission was unhappy with.
Vodafone maintains the greatest value on the Vodafone network lies in plans like Best Mate and the newly launched Family offer, neither of which is considered by the Commission in its assessment of the price of calling."
"That skews the results of the survey but even so, Vodafone is pleased to be leading the market in terms of pricing, flexibility and innovation."
Even with Best Mate and Family's exclusion from the findings, the Commission's report puts Vodafone's estimated mobile revenue per minute at the lowest in the country, with the volume of calls on Vodafone's network rising from 650 million minutes per month in December 2006 to almost 900 million minutes in December 2007.
"That equates to a one third increase in use per Vodafone customer in New Zealand, higher than any other Vodafone company in the same time frame."
"Our customers know great value when they see it and theyre responding in kind by using their Vodafone mobiles far more than ever before."
Vodafone's impact in the broadband market is also being felt with the share of growth in retail DSL connections moving dramatically in favour of wholesale partners rather than the incumbent. In December 2006, the Commission says only 20% of new broadband connections were made by wholesale partners – thats risen to almost 80% a year later.
"In that time we've been aggressive in the market with our "12 month free broadband" offer, a promotion which was a huge success. And when we launch our unbundled broadband offer later this year we expect to see similar levels of interest from the customers who, until now, haven't had the choice they deserve."
Vodafone also hopes to see the Commission include its new Home Phone Plus service in the fixed line figures when the next report comes out in a year's time. This offers great value to customers, adding the benefits of unlimited toll calling to the local calling package for just $40 per month.
"We intend to shake up the fixed line calling market in the same way we've revolutionised both mobile and broadband. The year ahead will be even busier than the one that's just finished and Vodafone looks forward to leading the way."