Paul Brislen: Telecommunications Forum CEO on the difficulty in changing providers

The Telecommunications Forum says difficulty switching between providers isn't an issue, despite concerns from the Commerce Commission.  

A study from the commission says the process of changing providers isn't working as well as it should for consumers. 

It wants telcos to improve its process to benefit consumers and competition. 

But Telecommunications Forum Chief Executive Paul Brislen told Mike Hosking most people aren't worried about their phone bill. 

He says it's not an issue most people think about. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Commerce Commission is going after the telcoas again are their
current concerners our ability or inability to switch providers. According
to this new study, more than half of us who
changed ran into an issue or two Telecommunications Forum see
Paul Brislanes whether it's Paul, very good morning to you
good morning. Do they have a point or no?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Look, we're happy to have a look at it. But
their own findings say that only four or five percent
of customers were unhappy with what they got. Eighty five
percent were delighted with the process, And I think that's
pretty much a win.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
I do worry about the ComCom at the moment. They
seem obsessed with a lot of stuff. Are they fairly
obsessed with a lot of stuff or are they just
filling time? Well, look where does any of it go?
I mean, how many times have you heard them talk
about telcos and banks and supermarkets and that nothing seems
to change?

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Well, you know, this is one of my issues with
what's going on is that I think if you asked
the average key with what are your biggest problems? You'd
have groceries. You'd have the price of fuel, cheese, dairy,
you know, even down to rents, down to how much
you pay for I don't think Telco makes the top
ten list, to be honest, It's really not an issue

(01:10):
most people think about. They seem to be just getting
along fine. We've got strong competition, world class infrastructure with
the Fiber to the home program, and I think we
just crack on and get stuck into it.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Is there a tune in telcos?

Speaker 2 (01:25):
There is. There is plenty of people switching back and forth.
I mean, look at some of the stories you've seen
recently about Spark losing customers or One losing customers. There
are a range of options out there, and people are
quite happy to make use of it. What we're not
sure about is why people don't move is what the

(01:45):
Commission's asking us to look at. Why are people staying
where they are? And I don't know about you, but
I rarely think about my phone bill. We offer flat
rate rates, so it's not as if you're sitting there
minding your gigabits like you used to. You just get
on and use it, don't worry about it.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Well, I think part of the surveyor one of the questions,
was that they did not want to change provider, even
if they could save money because the process seemed too hard.
Now that's perception, and I can't really help your perception,
can I?

Speaker 2 (02:12):
No? No, And I think that's a good take on it, Mike.
I mean, this is a perception issue. It seems like
it would be too hard. If you're on a swap banks.
When you've got a mortgage you need to get a
lawyer involved. You don't have to do any of that.
When you've got a phone that you want to move
to another provider, you ring up and you provide us
i'd like to join you, and they handle it from there.
It's actually really quite straightforward.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
Good stuff. Paul, I have a good weekend. Appreciate at
Paul Brislyn to the communications for them. So you go.
One of the things I bought you witness with earlier
on in the week was my problem with one New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
So you immediately changed Telco's right, No.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
I didn't. They rang and apologized and it was entirely
their problem, which is highly unusual in my life. Normally
I've done something stupid, but it was entirely their problem.
It was no fault of my own whatsoever. They apologize
profusely several times over have changed system the system change
didn't go well for them and it was all on them,

(03:04):
so I was very pleased. For more from the Mic
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