The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today issued a discussion paper to examine the Facilities Access Code.
"The structure and regulation of the telecommunications industry has changed significantly since the Facilities Access Code was introduced more than a decade ago," ACCC commissioner Ed Willett said.
"The ACCC is seeking comment on the Facilities Access Code to assess whether it remains relevant to today's telecommunications industry," Mr Willett said.
The Facilities Access Code sets out arrangements for carriers who wish to install their equipment on or in facilities owned by other carriers. The facilities covered by the code include telecommunications transmission towers, the sites of those towers and underground facilities that are designed to hold lines.
The Facilities Access Code was designed to encourage co-location in mobile towers and promote competition.
With the introduction of the National Broadband Network and recent legislative changes to the Telecommunications Act 1997 and Competition and Consumer Act 2010, the ACCC considers it an appropriate time to examine the code.
Interested parties are invited to make written submissions on the discussion paper by 5 pm on 24 August 2012. Subject to stakeholder submissions, the ACCC may prepare a revised code for public consultation.
The discussion paper will be available on the ACCC website.