Telecommunications Forum consults on proposed changes to TDR
The New Zealand Telecommunications Forum is calling for submissions on the proposed changes to the Telecommunications Disputes Resolution Service (TDRS). The Commerce Commission’s review of the TDRS made a number of recommendations, both operational and related to the governance of the scheme.
The new documents and structure are now available for public consultation and the Telecommunications Forum CEO Paul Brislen says the new-look scheme sports a number of fundamental changes.
“When the scheme was first introduced in 2007 it was built by industry and followed the guidelines of the day. Fast forward to 2023 and typically dispute schemes are independent of the industry in which they operate. We have built the new TDR governance structure to reflect that.”
The TCF has created a new legal entity to own and administer the TDR scheme with its own Board of Directors which will have governance responsibility. The board will include representatives from industry, consumer groups and will be run by an independent director.
“We’ve written a new Terms of Reference, Dispute Procedure Process and Constitution as well as the new Customer Care Code and it is these documents that we are now seeking feedback on,” says Brislen.
Consultation is now open and interested parties are invited to join our online discussion sessions so they can ask questions directly of the team involved in drafting the documentation.
Information is available on the TCF website, submissions close 17 April, 2023.
“It is very important to the TCF that the public have a chance to consult on what is a complex set of interlinked documents. We believe we have worked from a strong set of guiding principles and created a new structure to reflect that, but the proof will be in the feedback we receive,” says Brislen.
Consultation timeline
Monday 20 March – Consultation documents issued
Thursday 23 March – Online session with the TDRS Project Team. The team will provide an overview of the consultation documentation.
Wednesday 29 March – Online session to take any questions
Monday 17 April – Consultation responses due.
Please send responses to submissions@tcf.org.nz
