Maurice on comms

Tom Pullar-Strecker in the Dominion Post has an interesting interview with Maurice Williamson, who has taken Communications off John Key.

For those who want the short version, it is:

* Telco Commission Douglas Webb “got it right on balance” when he recommended against unbundling the local loop

* Telecom should nevertheless have the “sword of Damocles” hanging over it

* He deems past practices in the Hutt Valley where Telecom offered differentiated pricing street by street, depending on the availability of a competing service as “predatory pricing, shonky behaviour with complete disregard for what is reasonable in commerce.”

* Swain should get guarantees on number portability from the telecommunications industry, or else intervene to ensure it comes about