The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today issued a draft determination specifying model non-price terms and conditions for core telecommunications access services.
Although non-binding, they provide guidance as to the ACCC's views regarding fair terms and conditions of access.
The core telecommunication services are the main access services which competitors need in order to compete with Telstra for a variety of retail services. Consequently, the terms of access to these services can act to the long-term benefit of Australian consumers of various telecommunications services, including high-speed broadband services.
The proposed model terms focus on areas where service providers have had difficulty in negotiating mutually agreeable terms. These include matters that have been recently notified to the ACCC for arbitration.
"In developing the model terms, the ACCC has attempted to strike a balance between the legitimate business interests of access providers and the rights of access seekers to use the declared services," ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said.
The draft determination has been released for public comment and will be available on the ACCC website.
The ACCC seeks submissions from industry participants and other interested parties by 7 October 2008.