Peering is an important, complex subject. There is strong anecdotal evidence emerging that the de-peering that has occurred since 2004 has resulted in additional complexity and inefficiency in New Zealand's Internet and data-exchange capabliities. The Government's view has hitherto been that a preferred approach should be for industry to resolve technical issues without undue intervention. However, in response to strong feedback from the sector, I have asked officials to further investigate this issue, with a focus on the national interest of having efficient and robust Internet services within New Zealand.

Hon. David Cunliffe, Minister of Communications, 2007

1. Peering is not complex, otherwise lots of small and medium sized businesses wouldn't be doing it. Arguably the transit pricing of Telcos probably acts as an incentive, but peering is the simplest most straightforward solution to the fact not everyone is connected to a single network. It is simpler for customers as they aren't trying to levy monopoly rents and so for Telco's peering is complex, Telco's are complex.
2. The technical issues are long resolved, peering has been operating for the willing for years, what remains are personality problems in telco culture, the hubris that they are so good they deserve to be paid twice; once by their customer and again by someone else's customer.