Under Part XIC of the Trade Practices Act 1974, Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd has notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission of an access dispute with Telstra Corporation Limited.
The dispute relates to the charge to be levied on Primus for connection of the Unconditioned Local Loop Service* by Telstra.
The ACCC has commenced the arbitration process for this access dispute.
Given that the legislation contemplates that arbitrations be conducted in private, the ACCC will not be making any public comment at this stage.
*The 'Unconditioned Local Loop Service' involves the use of unconditioned cable, primarily copper pairs, between end-users and a telephone exchange, where the unconditioned cable terminates. The declared ULLS is being used by access seekers to support and connect to their own infrastructure for the supply of new and innovative voice and data services, such as those involving voice over IP and DSL technologies.