The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today published details of the take up of broadband access services on Telstra's copper network.
The data provides, for the first time, details of the take up of these broadband access services between metropolitan, regional and rural areas. The data shows three quarters of these services – and the bulk of unconditioned local loop services (ULLS) and line sharing services (LSS) – are located in metropolitan areas. Details of voice-only lines are also provided.
The number of ULLS and LSS taken up in regional Australia are at a similar level, notwithstanding whether uniform national pricing (as for LSS) or differentiated pricing applies. This suggests that take up of these services in regional areas is being affected by factors other than the structure of access prices, such as population density, length of copper lines, and the availability and pricing of backhaul services.
This information is fundamental to a range of decisions that are before the ACCC, and today's publication is aimed at ensuring the data is available for interested parties' information and comment. The data will be available on the ACCC website.
The initial data, published today, provides a snapshot of the copper network as at 30 September 2007. ULLS and LSS take-up has since increased from the 640,000 (ULLS and LSS) services reported in the initial data.
The ACCC has begun consultation with Telstra about publication of this information at the end of each quarter.