Telstra submits key NBN participation documents to the ACCC

Stuart Corner
Monday, 01 August 2011 11:10

IT Policy - Regulation

Telstra has submitted its Structural Separation Undertaking (SSU) and Draft Migration Plan to the ACCC, which will shortly make the documents publicly available.

The SSU commits Telstra to structural separation over the period of the NBN rollout. The Migration Plan is a binding instrument that sets out the steps Telstra will take to disconnect voice and broadband services on its copper and HFC networks as part of the migration process.

Telstra CEO, David Thodey, said that ACCC acceptance of the SSU and approval of the Migration Plan were critical conditions precedent - along with shareholder approval - to the definitive agreements signed with the Government and NBN Co in June. The ACCC will shortly commence a public consultation on both documents.

The SSU commits Telstra to structural separation by 1 July 2018 through the progressive disconnection of fixed voice and broadband services on its copper and HFC networks and the subsequent migration of these services onto the NBN. It also sets out the various measures that Telstra will put in place to provide for transparency and equivalence in the supply of regulated services to its wholesale customers during the transition to the NBN.

Thodey said: "We believe the interim equivalence and transparency commitments, which are binding and court enforceable, offer substantial and practical improvements in areas of known industry and regulator concern. These commitments will provide faster resolution of perceived issues and will reduce unnecessary administrative costs for all parties.

"Importantly, the SSU delivers robust, effective and appropriate equivalence and transparency during the migration period in a way that avoids the complexity, cost and industry disruption that would be caused by functional separation."

Telstra said the Migration Plan would give wholesale customers control over the timing of the migration of their end users' services to the NBN. "They will be able to lodge orders to cancel services at any time before the required disconnection date so they can be aligned with any related connection orders the wholesale customer has with NBN Co. This enables wholesale customers to coordinate connection and subsequent disconnection themselves, in a way that maximises service continuity for their end users."

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