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ACCC clears Optus to scrap HFC network and use NBN instead
The ACCC has cleared, provisionally, the proposed deal between Optus and NBN Co under which Optus is to be paid around $800m to shut down its HFC network and transfer customers onto the NBN. read more'Truss clueless': Conroy
Stephen Withers
Thursday, 22 October 2009 06:28
IT Policy - Government Tech Policy
Another day, another insult. That's life in the capital city for Australia's Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy.Conroy this morning issued a media release headed "Truss clueless on regional communications".
"Warren Truss champions current laws, implemented by the Howard Government, that allow Telstra to write its own standards for the Universal Service Obligation (USO)," said Conroy.
The Government claims that its changes to telecommunications legislation will provide greater protection for regional communications customers. (As a party, the Nationals' traditional constituency is those living in regional and remote areas of Australia.)
Yet the opposition parties are opposing the changes.
"Warren Truss claims to be sticking up for regional Australia. In fact, he is supporting a regime that puts consumers at the whim of Telstra," said Conroy.
"These vital reforms enshrine in law a much tougher USO, ensuring that Telstra meets specified connection, repair, reliability and performance benchmarks set by Government. Failure to meet these requirements will expose Telstra to a civil penalty of up to $10 million," he concluded.
Truss had not published a response on his web site at the time of writing.
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