The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today issued its Facilities Access Code under which carriers can get access to certain facilities of other carriers.
A copy of the draft code is available on the ACCC's web page.
"The code will assist new mobile carriers to gain access to the telecommunications towers and sites of other carriers," Mr Rod Shogren, Commissioner with responsibility for telecommunications, said today. "This will promote the entry of new carriers, including new mobile operators".
By providing a streamlined, timely process for the co-location of facilities, the code should avoid unnecessary infrastructure duplication and reduce entry costs for carriers wanting to provide new mobile, wireless and fixed telecommunications networks in competition with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
"This should result in lower prices and better quality services for all telecommunications users, as well as being less intrusive," he said.
The Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts, Senator Alston, asked the ACCC to consider whether a code for access to telecommunications facilities should be developed.
A particular concern was that the code facilitate entry by new mobile and other radio-based telecommunications providers through access to existing mobile/radio facilities. The code needed to be in place before the spectrum auction in the first half of 1998.
Today's code announcement covers mobile related facilities and follows an extensive process of industry consultation and deliberation, including with the Telecommunications Access Forum. A further part, covering underground facilities, has been released in draft form for comment by 24 March. The full code, including underground facilities, will be tabled in Parliament as a disallowable instrument by next month.
A copy of the draft code is available on the ACCC's web page.
"The code will assist new mobile carriers to gain access to the telecommunications towers and sites of other carriers," Mr Rod Shogren, Commissioner with responsibility for telecommunications, said today. "This will promote the entry of new carriers, including new mobile operators".
By providing a streamlined, timely process for the co-location of facilities, the code should avoid unnecessary infrastructure duplication and reduce entry costs for carriers wanting to provide new mobile, wireless and fixed telecommunications networks in competition with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
"This should result in lower prices and better quality services for all telecommunications users, as well as being less intrusive," he said.
The Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts, Senator Alston, asked the ACCC to consider whether a code for access to telecommunications facilities should be developed.
A particular concern was that the code facilitate entry by new mobile and other radio-based telecommunications providers through access to existing mobile/radio facilities. The code needed to be in place before the spectrum auction in the first half of 1998.
Today's code announcement covers mobile related facilities and follows an extensive process of industry consultation and deliberation, including with the Telecommunications Access Forum. A further part, covering underground facilities, has been released in draft form for comment by 24 March. The full code, including underground facilities, will be tabled in Parliament as a disallowable instrument by next month.