A telecommunications lobby group says Telecom should be given some leeway about meeting the rules laid down when it was forced to open up access to its copper-based network to rivals.
Telecom has made its fourth request to vary the undertakings it agreed to after the operational separation of its business in 2006.
Telecommunications Users Association chief executive Ernie Newman acknowledges Telecom should be relieved of some of the more onerous requirements, but says there should be caveats.
Mr Newman says if Telecom volunteers to split its retail and network arms in future, the association would be more lenient about variation requests.
Separately, Internet New Zealand says Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce should turn down Telecom's request.
