ACMA reports on telecoms service availability

Stuart Corner
Monday, 05 December 2005 01:31

IT Industry - Strategy

New infrastructure, products and services are increasingly being offered by telecommunications carriers in regional markets, according to a new report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

The report, Telecommunications Services Availability in Australia 2004-05, covers the availability of fixed voice, mobile and data services in metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia.

"Broadband access, especially the deployment of wireless broadband networks, underpins the intended plans of many new carriers," said Lyn Maddock, acting ACMA chair. "More Internet service providers are also investing in their own infrastructure.

"The combination of new carriers installing their own infrastructure and servicing regional areas, and the growth in new and innovative access technologies such as wireless broadband, means that customers in regional areas are starting to get a greater choice of providers and services."

The overall number of telecommunications carriers in Australia is increasing with 40 new telecommunications carrier licences being issued in 2004-05, bringing the total number of carrier licences to 132. Fourteen of the new carriers said that they intended to provide services in regional areas.

The ACMA report also identified changes in the way consumers are using telecommunications services: it notes that the number of mobile services far outstrips the number of fixed services. At the end of June 2005 there were 18.42 million mobile services operating compared with 11.46 million fixed voice services. The total number of dial-up and broadband Internet subscribers had reached 5.98 million at the end of March 2005.

The report is available on the ACMA website, here.  State-based breakdowns of services availability featuring maps and links to provider websites are also available on the ACMA website.