All three telcos providing residential landlines have offered various plans for crediting calls to Christchurch residential customers in the aftermath of the earthquake.
UPDATED 9/03: Telecom has announced it will extend its free national calling for fixed-to-fixed lines for all residential customers in Christchurch and neighbouring towns until the end of March.
Retail CEO Alan Gourdie said "Now that power has been restored to much of Christchurch, and our network remains stable, extending free national calling is another important addition to Telecom's many initiatives to assist people in the Garden City and surrounds."
Telecom, Vodafone, 2degrees and TelstraClear's other efforts in Christchurch can be seen here.
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Telcos providing residential landlines in Christchurch and surrounding areas have offered free calling from homelines, with TelstraClear first out of the box.
Communications manager Diane Robinson said the company announced on Saturday that TelstraClear is offering Christchurch-based residential customers with a fixed landline free calling from midnight February 22 for two weeks, until midnight March 8. This calling will include national, international and mobile calls but would not include 0900 numbers and the like. Outlying districts such as Akaroa, Darfield, Ashburton and Kaikoura would be included in this offer.
TelstraClear CEO, Dr Allan Freeth, said "At times like these, the most precious thing we can do is simply support each other. TelstraClear is doing all it can to ensure our Christchurch residential customers can communicate with family and friends in New Zealand and overseas."
Telecom announced today that it would credit residential landline customers living in Christchurch and neighbouring towns for any calls made in the week following the earthquake.
The news came after the company’s previous statement that billing would continue as usual for customers. The media release this afternoon said that any international or national calls made until midnight Monday 28th February would be free.
Retail CEO Alan Gourdie said being able to connect with friends and family during a crisis was of critical importance, and that the relief credit had been extended beyond Christchurch city to Akaroa, Darfield, Rangiora, Amberley and Ashburton.
“The credit will be applied immediately but may not show immediately on a customer’s account depending on their billing cycle,” Mr Gourdie said.
Vodafone today told NBR that it is offering five weeks free calling to its Christchurch home line customers. The credit will be backdated to February 22 and customers with a residential Christchurch address will be able to call any landline or mobile on all networks, national or international, until March 31.
Outlying districts such as Akaroa, Darfield and Kaikoura would be included in the offer, meaning more than 21,000 customers would be credited for the five weeks.
External communications manager Michelle Baguley said customers will have all ready received their bill for February, so the next bill will show a credit for any calls made from February 22 onwards, and free calling for the entirety of March.
“Vodafone offers its condolences and support to all of the people in Canterbury. We understand the earthquake has impacted you all in so many different ways.” The company hoped the credit would help its customers.
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