Telstra's Migration Plan

The ACCC has consented to Telstra further deferring the disconnection date for fire alarm and lift phone services.

Presently, Telstra’s Migration Plan postpones the managed disconnection of registered fire alarm and lift phone services with a disconnection date in 2015 (including those without an in-train order) by an additional 120 business days. Under the proposed new arrangements agreed between Telstra and NBN Co in consultation with the Department, if a fire alarm or lift phone service has been registered with NBN Co by 25 business days after the relevant disconnection date, and notification is provided to Telstra by NBN Co, then it will not be subject to managed disconnection until 1 July 2017.

The ACCC is supportive of migration arrangements that provide greater flexibility in dealing with ‘hard to migrate’ premises. We therefore welcome Telstra’s agreement to this modified approach, which will mitigate the current risk that some fire alarm and lift phone services may be mandatorily disconnected before the relevant service providers have developed products compatible with NBN delivered services.

The extension will provide a greater opportunity for providers of fire alarm and lift phone services to develop substitute products that are compatible with the NBN. In addition, it will allow time for the development of a targeted information campaign by NBN Co, fire alarm and lift phone service providers and State/Territory governments on the migration and disconnection of these services.

We expect Telstra to submit a formal variation to the Migration Plan to reflect these and, if necessary, other revised arrangements upon completion of Telstra’s current review of the in-train order disconnection arrangements.

The ACCC strongly encourages all interested parties to ensure prompt registration of fire alarm and lift phone services on the register for these services, which is maintained by NBN Co.

Currently, there are two methods by which a fire alarm or lift phone service may be registered with NBN Co. These are:

1. calling the NBN Co contact centre on 1800 687 626
2. where an owners corporation, body corporate, strata manager or property manager registers a multi dwelling unit (MDU) with NBN Co on the Register My Building website, applicants can include FNNs for any Fire & Lift services in the building.

To register your fire alarm or lift phone service, you must have the Full National Number (FNN) of the phone line that the fire panel or emergency lift phone uses.

NBN Co is also developing an online registration tool for end-users that are not located in an MDU. The ACCC understands that NBN Co will be updating industry and end-users shortly with further information regarding registration of fire alarm and lift phone services (including via the NBN Co website).

The deferred disconnection period expires on 30 June 2017, after which monitored fire alarm and lift phone services will be disconnected from Telstra’s existing fixed line networks on a business-as-usual basis in line with Telstra’s Migration Plan. Contact your fire alarm monitoring and/or lift service provider to arrange migration of services to the NBN.

To register a service call 1800 687 626.

See also: Migration of monitored fire alarms and lift phones.