Telecommunications Amendment Bill
This bill changes rules for phone and internet companies in New Zealand. Big telcos earning $50 million or more a year must join a complaints scheme so customers have somewhere to go if things go wrong. It also makes permanent the right for fibre internet providers to access shared properties like apartment buildings to install fibre cables. It changes how a special levy charged to telcos is set each year, and lets the Commerce Commission take on certain roles related to local fibre companies.
What this affects
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Large phone and internet companies must join an official complaints scheme so customers have a clear, independent process to resolve disputes.
If a telecommunications service provider earns a gross annual revenue of $50 million (excluding goods and services tax) or more in any financial year, it must become a member of an industry dispute resolution scheme.
The telecommunications service provider must become a member of a scheme within 6 months after the end of that financial year.
The Governor-General may, by Order in Council made on the recommendation of the Minister, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes at any time: (a) specifying the annual amount of the telecommunications development levy for a relevant financial year.
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
This bill is open for public submissions to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee. Anyone can tell the committee what they think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Submissions close 13 January 2026.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Arapono’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Arapono editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Arapono is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.