The Commerce Commission (“Commission”) gives notice, under clause 2(1)(c) of Schedule 2A of the Telecommunications Act 2001 (“Act”), that it has published draft amendments to the Copper Withdrawal Code (“Code”) for public consultation.

This notice summarises the draft amendments to the Code in accordance with clause 6(2)(b) of the Act.

Summary of Draft Amendments

The draft amendments have been published in the [Draft] Copper Withdrawal Amended Code 2023 [ISBN 978-1-991085-42-9].

The draft amendments would amend the Code in order to:

1. Simplify and improve the notice process.
2. Allow Chorus flexibility in relation to communications to end-users to improve the effectiveness of the process.
3. Provide additional pause mechanisms to address process issues.
4. Require Chorus to provide additional information in its disclosures to the Commission for compliance monitoring and review of the Code’s effectiveness.

Further Information

Copies of the draft amended Code, and the supporting draft decisions and reasons paper, are available on the Commission’s website at: https://comcom.govt.nz/regulated-industries/telecommunications/projects/review-of-the-copper-withdrawal.

Dated at Wellington this 27th day of September 2023.

COMMERCE COMMISSION.