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Let's Be Honest About Broadband Access |
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Written by Adam Gosling
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Friday, 01 December 2006 |
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Page 1 of 3
The ACCC has released a stinging attack on Telstra
management in the most effective way it could - plain talking. And if we don't talk about it, Australia's broadband future could be in jeopardy.
tThe latest missive from the Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission (ACCC) sets a new benchmark in dealing with Telstra's
whining about how badly it's treated by over-regulation.
ACCC Chairman, Graeme Samuel, in what is almost an open
letter to Sol Trujillo has issued a series of challenges to the telco.
The most significant of which is to challenge Telstra to
remove the confidentiality obligations that Telstra has imposed upon it and
open its Fibre-to-the-node proposal on the table so we can all discuss it.
Samuel goes on to say that "We all have a role to play
in addressing questions such as these and shaping Australia's broadband future. This
is all the more challenging in the face of the constant speculation, opinion,
and in some cases - plain misinformation that surrounds the regulation of the
telco industry."
He challenges Telstra to follow the ACCC's firm belief in "the
principle of transparency" and accountability.
"This is a matter of significant national importance
and public interest. Telstra has publicly accused the regulator of attempting
to impose 'below cost' and economically unrealistic regulatory constraints on
its FTTN proposals. The most recent of these was Telstra's assertion in last
week's Canberra Times that the ACCC's
'rejection' of Telstra's FTTN proposal was the reason why some Canberra residents are on waiting lists for
broadband.
"The ACCC categorically rejects these assertions.
Telstra should put its FTTN proposal on the table for public examination and
release the ACCC from the confidentiality obligations that Telstra has imposed
upon it, so that these issues can be placed in the public domain," he says.
"This will enable Telstra's FTTN proposals - and the
ACCC's response - to be subjected to a rigorous examination by our legislators,
the investing public and the Australian community each of who have a deep
vested interest in understanding the relevant issues.
He also says Telstra should "throw the switch" on
ADSL2+ in every exchange capable of taking the upgrade, not restricting this to
locations where it faces competition.
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