Competitors blast Telstra's NBN regulatory submission

Stuart Corner
Friday, 12 June 2009 18:53

IT Industry - Strategy

Telstra is against any move to reduce its current vertical or horizontal integration, and against any restrictions on its ability to invest and compete in content. Its attitude to facing competition from services delivered over the future NBN seems to be one of 'bring it on', subject to Telstra not being greatly further constrained in its ability to compete.

It envisages a future where the NBN will be well established and where Telstra, constituted as it is today, will be free to compete but with less regulation than currently. And it suggests that the rollout of the NBN will largely remove the need for major regulatory change, saying: "With the rollout of the NBN commencing in 2010, it is questionable whether fundamental regulatory changes should now be contemplated unless they are absolutely necessary for the success of the NBN."

Telstra says it "looks forward to this new era of vibrant competition, in which we and others will be encouraged to invest and compete across platforms, including cable, wireless and the FTTP network of the NBN company."

And while Telstra proposes it should be subject to some new and additional controls during the transition the NBN it contends that the current requirements for operational separation, designed to prevent its wholesale arm favouring its retail arm over other retail competitors, will no longer be needed once the NBN is up and running.

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