19 Jul 2010

Orcon to charge more for calls to rivals

12:33 pm on 19 July 2010

The Telecommunications Users Association says the entry of Orcon to the mobile market will give consumers more choice, but it's disappointed the state-owned company will charge customers more to call or text rival networks.

Using Vodafone's network, Orcon is offering four different mobile plans with no fixed term contracts, costing between 39 - 69 cents per minute.

Texts cost a flat rate of 20c, but Orcon is offering bundles of texts at cheaper rates to other Orcon, Vodafone or networks that use Vodafone's network.

TUANZ chief executive Ernie Newman says this industry-wide pricing structure means consumers are losing out.