Telstra network information "useless" says G9

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 13 May 2008 11:02

Business IT - Networking

The Optus-led consortium that is expected to bid for the Australian Government's national broadband network has dismissed the network information provided by Telstra as next to useless.

When it announced that it had handed over the information on 9 May, Telstra gave no indication of the scale, scope or format of the data presented, but indicated that it was comprehensive.

Telstra CEO, Sol Trujillo told an investment conference that Telstra had become "the first company to provide the requested network information to the Government." However the government has not set out in detail, publicly, what information has been requested. It did write to 24 carriers requesting voluntary information disclosure, but after meeting opposition is introducing legislation to require them to provide information.

Newly appointed bid manager for G9, Michael Simmons, said: "The G9 understands that the supposed ‘network’ information that Telstra has voluntarily made available as part of the Government’s new network plans falls way short of the data needed by bidders and asked for by the Government. Aside from a mathematical model the only ‘real world’ data available is a set of street addresses for telephone exchange buildings and average distances for copper cables. This is next to useless for bidders wanting to provide detailed offers."
 
He called upon both Houses of Parliament to move swiftly to enable communications minister Stephen Conroy to demand that Telstra release meaningful network information. "We urge Government and opposition parties to push ahead and support the Bill commencing in the Senate this Wednesday. Clearly Telstra will only release this information when it is forced to do so," Simmons said.

The Government has drafted legislation that requires Telstra, and any other carrier in Australia, to make available to bidders, via a government intermediary, essential network information. However it has been the subject of a senate committee enquiry and is yet to be passed by the upper house.

Shadow communications minister, Bruce Billson, meanwhile has criticised Conroy for not agreeing to Telstra's confidentiality deed that would enable the information provided by Telstra to be released to other bidders. If the G9's claims are correct, he might have to eat his words.