A new Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report recommends that NBN Co make available more information about the rollout of the national broadband network (NBN) to interested stakeholders.
The ACCC recommends that:
- Interested stakeholders receive regular reports on key information about the rollout of the NBN;
- NBN Co regularly consults about information disclosure to ensure that these reports remain relevant to stakeholders;
- NBN Co maintains a list of all of the documents that it provides to Telstra, and makes these documents available on request to relevant stakeholders; and
- NBN Co not disclose information about a customer’s choice of NBN service provider to Telstra, or to other service providers, except on a case by case basis where this is needed to resolve a migration problem for the customer.
“Through these measures interested stakeholders will receive information to assist their business planning and investment decisions," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
“These measures will also support competition by placing interested stakeholders in an equivalent position to Telstra in the transition to the NBN."
‘Consumers will in turn benefit from stronger competition amongst NBN service providers for their business," Mr Sims said.
The ACCC’s report has been provided to the Minister for Communications and will inform the consideration of a carrier licence condition for NBN Co. The ACCC’s report follows public consultation undertaken earlier this year. Stakeholders supported the objectives of the new measures to ensure that no party has an unfair advantage due to preferential access to information from NBN Co.
The report is available via Information disclosure by NBN Co.
Background
In light of the shift to the multi-technology mix (MTM) approach to the NBN, Telstra will have closer involvement in the planning and rollout of the NBN. Through this, NBN Co will provide Telstra with detailed information about the design and construction of the network, and activation of services at premises.
So that Telstra does not gain, or is not perceived to gain, an unfair competitive advantage the Government proposed the imposition of a carrier licence condition, amongst other measures, to provide for information symmetry between Telstra and retail service providers in relation to NBN rollout and related information.
The Department of Communications requested the ACCC consult with interested parties on the proposed licence condition, including on the information sought to be disclosed.
The ACCC’s report has been provided to the Minister for Communications and will assist the Government in its consideration of a carrier licence condition for NBN Co.