[LINK] Telecom is reducing monthly telephone line rentals for the first time in a decade

[Ash Nallawalla]

Meanwhile, across the pond...

Extract: "The 18 per cent drop in the monthly line rental to $29.95 from
$36.65 applies in Wellington and Christchurch and affects more than 500,000
of Telecom's 2.1 million customers.

The move is designed to squeeze Australian rival Telstra Saturn, which is
installing a state-of-the-art network in Christchurch and preparing to go
live with part of it in about a month."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,596696a28,FF.html

AFAIK, residential subscribers get free local calls for that figure.

- Ash