State Government Views
29 July 2008
The Governments of Australia's states and territories have taken a strong interest in the proposed construction of a new national broadband network. Many have experienced years of Telstra's high monopoly charges, making it difficult for them to deliver the latest broadband services to Government facilities such as schools and hospitals. The state and territory Governments have recently set out their views in submissions to the Federal Government's review of how the new network should be regulated. They have made strong arguments that competition is paramount; to achieve this the network must be open access; and in practice that is likely to require it to be structurally separated. To see a summary of the views expressed by the state and territory Governments
Telstra Against the World: Michael Egan's speech to the Broadband Australia 2008 conference
24 July 2008
Michael Egan, Chairman of TERRiA, recently addressed the Broadband Australia 2008 conference in Sydney. His speech looks at the impact of Australia's competition policy on the local telecommunications sector. He also comments on Telstra's regulatory submission to the government on the National Broadband Network calling it "a complete joke". According to Mr Egan, "Telstra's commitment to open access is no more than a sound bite. And its regulatory submission… is almost a plea for a restoration of a monopolist's unfettered rights under nineteenth century laissez-faire capitalism. Telstra's submission again rejects any form of functional or structural separation of the new network."
Internet Industry Association (IIA) submission on the National Broadband Network (NBN)
2 July 2008
On 25 June 2008, IIA lodged its report commenting on the issues relevant in the Panel of Experts' Request for Proposals (RFP) for an NBN.
Structural separation and investment in the National Broadband Network environment
25 June 2008
Dr Chris Doyle is from Warwick University in the UK and is an international expert on structural separation of telecommunication. In this report, Dr Doyle explains that “structural separation” means that Telstra’s network would be owned separately from its other business divisions such as retail. The key advantage “is that it removes the incentives for the owner of the network to behave in a discriminatory manner.” It also “greatly reduces the job of regulating.” Dr Doyle explains that there are a range of ‘separation’ models, from the weakest form, accounting separation, to the strongest form, structural separation.
Media in the 21st Century
10 June 2008
Fairfax Chief Executive David Kirk recently gave a major speech about the future of media and communications. He identified broadband as a key priority for Australia and made a strong call for Telstra to be structurally separated as part of the construction of the new network.
Download PDF to read what David Kirk had to say.
Read a summary of recent views from State Government on the National Broadband Network.
28 May 2008
At a meeting of the Online and Communications council held in Canberra on May 21, State and Territory Ministers reaffirmed their strong preference for the NBN to be operated by a “genuine wholesale provider separate from any retail service provider.”
Structural Separation for a National Broadband Network
26 May 2008
In May 2008, expert telecommunications industry economists CEG released a paper explaining why Telstra should not be allowed to build a new broadband network unless it is structurally separated.
The Broadband Dilemma
In May 2008,Minter Ellison partner and telecoms industry regulatory policy expert Richard Dammery wrote an op-ed piece which appeared in the Australian Financial Review, commenting on the broadband policy issues facing the Australian Government.
Australia - Analysis of the Government's NBN RFP
May 2008
In May 2008, leading telecoms industry commentator Paul Budde wrote an article analysing the Government' s tender process for the national broadband network.
Telstra will roll out the NBN - But on what terms?
May 2008
In May 2008, Paul Budde wrote an article discussing the terms and conditions which must be imposed on Telstra if it is to be permitted to roll out the NBN.
ATUG Managing Director Rosemary Sinclair Comments on Fibre to the Node
January 2008
In her January 2008 ATUG Opinion column, Managing Director of the Australian Telecommunications Users Group, Rosemary Sinclair, gave the perspective of telecommunications users about the current debate on Fibre to the Node. She highlighted the importance of services being affordable, and called out the risk of the tendency to monopoly.
Telstra's FTTN Proposal: Key Policy Issues
28 June 2006
In June 2006, respected independent policy consultants DandoloPartners and Allen Consulting Group prepared a report analysing Telstra's FTTN proposal and highlighting the serious policy issues which the proposal raised.
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