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A delegation of major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) last week met ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel and senior ACCC officials in Canberra to discuss their complaints regarding the conduct of Telstra.
Last month, Internode and nine other ISPs called on the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) to restrain Telstra from the "anti-competitive conduct" of barring wholesale access to its ADSL2+ broadband infrastructure.
At last week's meeting, the ISP delegation explained the 'two way squeeze' they currently face:
- Telstra's refusal to supply wholesale ADSL2+ services nationally
- Despite claims that there are 'no barriers' to building more competitive ADSL2+ infrastructure, the ISPs discussed the real and escalating barriers to further construction work, including the 'capping' of exchanges, the lack of viable cross-provider churn mechanisms and extremely long exchange access delays.
Internode managing director Simon Hackett said the delegation had warned the ACCC of the risk of inaction. "If no action is taken, existing 'stocks' of ADSL2+ ports provided by competitive ISPs in many major metropolitan areas will start to run out within six to nine months," he said.
"That will leave a total supply monopoly for Telstra BigPond ADSL2+ in those exchanges."
The ACCC is now investigating the claims made by the ISP delegation.
More information about the ISPs' ACCC action is available at
http://www.internode.on.net/news/2008/02/75.php .
Internode is a first tier IP carrier committed to using broadband
technology to redefine the national telecommunications environment. The
Australian-owned company is a trailblazer that delivers broadband
services to individuals and businesses throughout Australia.
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