Telstra told to device its own future-proofing plan

Stuart Corner
Saturday, 10 September 2005 14:19

IT Policy - Regulation

The Government has imposed a licence condition on Telstra that requires it to "implement and maintain an effective local presence in rural, regional and remote Australia". Telstra will now be required to develop an "adequate" Local Presence Plan which will be open for public comment for at least six weeks and will be subject to approval by communications minister, senator Helen Coonan.

The plan must: outline how Telstra intends to maintain an effective local presence in rural, regional and remote Australia; allow for consultation with regional, rural and remote customers to ensure their concerns and service requirements are accommodated; focus Telstra's workforce and management on meeting the needs and interests of their customers; and provide measures that will enable the minister and the Australian Communications and Media Authority to monitor Telstra's compliance with the Plan.

Telstra must consider submissions made during public consultation and provide a report to the minister taking into account stakeholders' views and explaining their impacts on Telstra's Rural and Regional Presence Plan. The minister has issued a detail guide specifying matters to be addressed in its plan. It can be downloaded from here. There has been no indication given of any timetable for the process.