Consumer NZ is building a telecommunications price comparison website which it expects to launch by the end of the year.
The site will be a free, one-stop-shop for consumers to find the best deals from their telecommunications and ISP providers. It will enable comparisons in fixed line, broadband internet, mobile and bundled services.
Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin said it would also include customer service ratings and other non-price information.
Some $75,000 for the project has come via the Commerce Commission, as part of a settlement the commission reached with Telecom NZ over a misleading broadband promotion the company ran in 2008.
Chetwin said the new site would provide independent information to consumers about all telecommunications products in a way that would make decisions easy on plans and prices.
Consumer hoped the site would also stimulate competition to deliver better telecommunications prices and services to consumers.
Chetwin said with the expected regulation of mobile termination rates, there would be more options for consumers, more suppliers and more innovation in the market.
"Credible, independent consumer information would be critical to help make sense of the options from all the players - big and small."
The site will operate in a similar way to Consumer NZ Powerswitch, a site which enables comparisons of electricity and gas retailers' plans and pricing.
The target audience is consumers, who want to make savings, are looking for new services, are seeking advice before deciding on a provider and who find price comparisons confusing and time consuming.
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Is this still happening? Seems a VERY long testing phase!
How long until this site is ready?
Still waiting for this site - please provide an update as to progress
Can you please advise when this site will be available. Christmas and early February have been and gone.
Thanks
M Scott
It's now 27th December 2010. Is there any more news about this comparison website yet?
Service quality of data/broadband is improving.
However the lack of unlimited residential data plans and the cost of data is exorbitant by world standards.
As the internet grows more content and media rich, it has become very easy to download 20-30gb of legal media/entertainment content on a monthly basis...but the cost of downloading that much data is prohibitively expensive.
To give a reference point, if you were to purchase a computer game online for download it could easily reach 10gb alone. Then if you were to rent or purchase a movie online that can be several gigabytes. Add in daily video streams, hi-definition audio/video content and you can blow right past 30gb without batting an eye.
We need to see data volume pricing drop at the residential level.
Right now the pricing is crazy!