Telstra unveils rural presence plan

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 28 September 2005 18:42

IT Policy - Regulation

Telstra Country Wide has released its preliminary draft Regional and Rural Presence plan, as required under a new carrier licence condition.

The requirement was imposed following a recommendation in the Estens review of telecommunications. Telstra has until December 8 to submit a draft plan to the Minister which, once approved, will become the final plan. It is consulting with stakeholders on the preliminary draft.

However, the preliminary draft has not been well-received. The Financial Review greeted its release with the comment that critics had labelled the plan a "sham" that offered "platitudes instead of guarantees". It added that Telstra was expected to be pressured into revising the plan "to include targets that can be measured over the next three years to determine how country phone services will improve".

Shadow communications minister, Stephen Conroy was quoted saying that the document did not contain "a single solid commitment about what Telstra would do to improve rural services."

A copy of the plan, and further information on it are available here.