Backhaul links allow telcos to access transmission capacity from local and regional exchanges, which is used to provide services such as voice or internet.

The annual report released today found that 95 percent of all regional backhaul links, and around 75 percent of local backhaul links are now competitive.

In 2008, when the ComCom first determined which backhaul routes were subject to regulation and the terms of service for Telecom (now Chorus), only 58 percent of regional UCLL links, and 65 percent of local UCLL links were deemed competitive. None of the UBA links were competitive at that time, says the ComCom.

Stephen Gale, the Telecommunications Commissioner, says that increased competition is mostly a result of the Telecom Chorus demerger in November last year.

"At that time, Chorus and telecom split the spare fibres on backhaul links so there was an immediate jump in competition for those links," says Gale.