Telecom New Zealand (ASX: TEL; NZE TEL) has today announced it will credit all residential customers’ landline calls to Japan. This includes calls made from landline to landline and landline to Japanese mobile phones.

The credit will apply to calls made from midday Friday 11 March, to midnight Sunday 13 March, and will be applied to customers’ accounts in their next billing.

Alan Gourdie, Telecom Retail CEO, said it was important for people to be able to communicate with family and friends in a time of crisis.

“As we have recently experienced a severe earthquake in our own country, we know only too well how essential it is for people to be able to connect easily with loved ones in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy. Telecom is therefore crediting all landline calling to Japan for the two days following the disaster,” said Mr Gourdie.

Telecom is also assisting members of New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team who are using Telecom mobiles in Japan.

Roaming credit will be applied so USAR team members can stay connected with family and friends in New Zealand while they assist in Japan’s recovery effort.

Japan’s telecommunication networks remain under strain following Friday’s earthquake and tsunami, so people should be patient and keep their calls short where possible, particularly when calling Japan’s worst affected areas.