The Productivity Commission says it will open an investigation into allegations of anti-competitive behaviour by the NBN Co over new housing estates. Commission chairman Mike Woods told media he would personally assist in the investigation, along with another research officer.”We understand the importance of the investigation and we are resourcing it we think suitably,” he told ITnews.
The investigation was sparked by three complaints from private greenfields fibre builders, led by Greenfield Fibre Operators Australia chairman and Opennetworks’ MD Michael Sparksman.
The group was concerned that NBN Co was promoting its role in greenfields as a “provider of first choice” to housing estate developers, rather than as the “provider of last resort” under its Federal Government mandate.
Comms and Broadband Minister Stephen Conroy, has released a statement which gives Telstra responsibility as a service provider of last resort to lay copper cable in greenfield developments of less than 100 lots. But NBN Co retains responsibility to provide fibre cable to large developments.
Meanwhile Opposition communications spokesman, Malcolm Turnbull, has weighed in to the debate, promoting a voucher-style approach to the rollout of fibre in greenfield developments.
He said the Coalition is looking at a proposal for an amendment to the fibre deployment bill that would allow developers to pay an accredited contractor to lay fibre cable in new estates.
