Telecom New Zealand has launched its new nationwide WCDMA/HSPA network following settlement of its dispute with rival Vodafone over interference issues. The operator has switched on its XT Mobile Network with a choice of 14 pricing plans (cut from 60) that aim to simplify the tariff offering, based around the concept of “One Rate pricing, per second billing after the first minute and the option of shared calling plans.” Devices offered include the touchscreen Samsung F480 and Nokia E75.

Launch was delayed from 13 May due to a dispute with Vodafone, now resolved, that centred around interference issues that were alleged to have affected Vodafone’s customers. Telecom’s 850MHz 3G network (supplied by Alcatel-Lucent) will ramp up competition in New Zealand’s mobile broadband market. The operator has invested over NZD574 million (US$368 million) in the network and sees deployment of the new technology as key to grabbing market share from dominant player Vodafone (52 percent market share). Last October, Telecom completed an internal review of its future mobile technology deployment, choosing a migration to the GSM family of technologies as its roadmap. The operator is expected to upgrade to HSPA+ and LTE technologies in the future. Although Vodafone is the biggest threat to Telecom, the country is also set to gain a long-awaited third operator with the launch of NZ Communications’ new network in August. Rebranded 2degrees, the company aims to provide 2G GSM and 3G HSPA technology to 97 percent of New Zealanders and will cut prices to challenge the sector’s two dominant players.