The case for fresh Telecommunications Service Obligation thinking

You don’t hear much talk about the Telecommunications Service Obligation these days: The problems the TSO set out to address appear to have been solved.

The original idea of a TSO was that everyone in New Zealand should have access to basic communications services at an affordable price. It set a low bar. At first it meant nothing more than being able to make a local voice telephone call.

Privatisation

A TSO became necessary when Telecom was privatised more than 30 years ago.