By Stephen Wright

WELLINGTON, New Zealand--An increase in consumer complaints about telecommunications companies is a sign the industry needs to lift its performance, New Zealand's competition regulator said Thursday as it begins a review of possible changes.

The Commerce Commission said consumer complaints through several channels had increased in the past year and it is seeking the views of consumer and industry groups on how to address "pain points."

The regulator said the review adds to its ongoing work to address a significant level of overbilling by the main telecommunications companies, Spark New Zealand Ltd., 2degrees and Infratil Ltd.-owned Vodafone New Zealand.

Common customer complaints included internet slower than advertised, plans advertised as unlimited but with constraints on data usage, incorrect billing and being signed up to service contracts without agreement.

"The increase in complaints indicates that telecommunications providers need to lift their game to improve outcomes for consumers," the regulator said in a statement.

It said it would review "all dimensions of customer experience" including selecting and buying telecommunications services, day-to-day performance, changing providers and the customer complaints process.

"This will help us to understand what needs to change to make a meaningful difference for New Zealand consumers," the commission said.

Complaints to the Telecommunications Dispute Resolution Scheme were up about 12% in the past year, commission data showed, and up by nearly a quarter compared with 2018.

Write to Stephen Wright at stephen.wright@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-28-20 1652ET