A long time foe of Telstra the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is calling for the structural seperation of Telstra in a submission to the Federal Government.
Imposing a tougher structural separation regime on Telstra is the only way to guarantee an equal playing field during the transition to a planned national broadband network.
To see the full submission see file below.
“The ACCC is of the view that structural separation of Telstra is the only framework that will ensure equivalence in access during the transition to the NBN and is the only form of separation consistent with the type of wholesale-retail market structure the Government envisages for the NBN environment of the future,” the watchdog said in a submission to a government review of current telecommunications regulations.
Australia’s center-left Labor government in April announced ambitious plans to help build a A$43 billion fiber-to-the-home national broadband network.
The new network could make large parts of Telstra’s existing fixed line infrastructure redundant and, while the door is open for Telstra to participate in building the new network, this could cost the group its title as the nation’s dominant phone company, along with billions of dollars in lost revenue over time.
In its submission to the regulatory review, Telstra said its “overarching objective” is to help find an NBN solution that is in the interests of Australia while promoting a sustainable industry structure.
“We are committed to working constructively with the Government to enable the timely and successful implementation of the NBN,” the company said.
