Joining the TCF

How to Join

New members may join the TCF at any time and membership commences from the date the fee is fully paid up.

To join the TCF a party needs to be an eligible person as defined by the Telecommunications Act.  The Act defines an eligible person as a person who is: 

• Registered with the Commission for the purpose of voting on a draft code under clause 4 of schedule 2: and
• A member of the Forum (TCF)

Under clause 4(4) of Schedule 2 to the Act, persons are entitled to register with the Commission as eligible persons if the Commission is satisfied that they:

1. provide a telecommunications service by means of some component of a PSTN or PDN that is operated by that person
2. are an access seeker/provider of a designated or specified service
3. are a person whom the Commission determines has a material interest in a draft code because that person is about to become, within the foreseeable future, a person referred to in (1) or (2).

If you are interested in being registered as an eligible person, contact the Commerce Commission.

If you are interested in joining the TCF, contact the TCF CEO, David Stone.

Membership Types

Tier One members are Forum members who each fund more than 2% of the Telecommunication Commissioner's costs. Where there are more than 4 Forum members each funding more than 2% of the Telecommunications Commissioner's costs, only the four largest funders who are also Forum members shall be included in this category of Forum members.

Group means all members of the Forum except Tier One members, and consists of Tier Two and Tier Three members, where:

Tier Two members means Group members who are liable to pay costs towards a Telecommunications Service Obligation or liable to fund a portion of the Telecommunications Commissioner's costs

Tier Three members means Group members who are not liable to pay either the costs towards a Telecommunications Service Obligation or liable to fund the Telecommunications Commissioner's costs

Annual Membership Fees

The costs to operate the Forum are currently allocated as follows:

• 40% - Telecom NZ Limited
• 25% - TelstraClear NZ Limited
• 25% - Vodafone NZ Limited
• 10% - split between Tier 2 and 3 members

This fee is payable immediately in full upon joining the Forum.