Telstra hands over network info for broadband network RFP

by Stuart Corner

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

Page 1 of 2 ! Telstra has provided to the government network information crucial to any other potential bidders for the $4.7b of government funding for a national broadband network, but there are few not-insignificant hurdles to be surmounted before they can get their hands on it. The move was announced by CEO Sol Trujillo on 9 May to a Macquarie Equities investment conference and Telstra attempted to make PR capital out of the event, announcing it on its Nowwearetalking web site  saying: "The race to build a National Broadband Network (NBN) is formally underway, with Telstra this morning becoming the first company to lodge a $5 million bidder's bond and hand over its network information. The network information was given to government officials in Canberra this morning by Telstra Network & Services Executive Director, Greg Adcock." There was a photo of Adcock outside the offices of the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy holding a large white envelope! And there was a quote from Telstra Wholesale group managing director, Kate McKenzie, saying: "today's actions by Telstra put us a step closer to starting work, and put the onus on others to quit complaining and put up their money." Optus, the biggest member of the group of nine that has promised to bid against Telstra, was reported to have dismissed the announcement as being akin to "the fox suddenly claiming to be a model citizen in the hen house." McKenzie's comments notwithstanding, Optus has some justification for its complaints. NWAT went on to say: "[The information] can be passed onto third parties as soon as the Department agrees to Telstra's proposed confidentiality deed (which Telstra has also provided to DBCDE) or DBCDE's own proposed confidentiality deed is provided to and agreed by Telstra. Telstra sees no reason why this cannot happen immediately." When this did not happen "immediately" it gave shadow communications minister, Bruce Billson, a stick with which to beat the minister. He issued a press release saying: "the only thing holding up the exchange of existing broadband network architecture information between potential bidders for a national fibre to the node broadband network is the dithering of communications minister Stephen Conroy...If the minister agrees with [Telstra's confidentiality deed] or works with Telstra to develop a satisfactory alternative, the company is happy for its network material to be shared with other prospective bidders. Despite Telstra's cooperation with the minister and his department, for some unknown reason, Senator Conroy remains fixated on a time consuming intervention which would depend on legislation being passed by parliament, which is designed to effectively force telcos to hand over information at the whim of the minister. The legislation is vague and will then depend on the use of yet to be specified disallowable instruments, which also must be approved by the parliament." CONTINUED << First page <   1 2 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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