The ACCC has expressed preliminary competition concerns about the proposed merger between TPG Telecom (ASX: TPM) and Vodafone Hutchison Australia (a JV between Vodafone Group and Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) (ASX:HTA)), and its potential impact on Australia’s mobile and broadband markets.
The ACCC’s concerns are detailed in a statement of issues published today.
The ACCC has commenced a public inquiry into making final access determinations (FADs) for Telstra’s six fixed line services and for wholesale ADSL.
The fixed-line services allow other telecommunications companies to use Telstra's existing copper network facilities to provide voice and broadband services to retail customers.
“Our inquiry will consider the terms and conditions that should be covered in the FAD, including the prices for the services and non-price terms and conditions of access,” ACCC Commissioner Roger Featherston said.
The second phase of the ACCC’s NBN wholesale service standards inquiry will consider whether regulation is needed to improve customer experience.
NBN wholesale service standards are a key part of the commercial arrangements between NBN Co and retail service providers that affect the services to NBN customers.
A discussion paper, released today, highlights several issues to be considered, informed by feedback so far received by the inquiry and latest developments in the sector.
The ACCC has today released a draft report proposing that its declaration, or regulation, of Australia’s Domestic Transmission Capacity Service (DTCS) continue for a further five years, after the current arrangement expires on 31 March 2019.
The ACCC has decided to extend the declaration of Telstra’s six fixed line telecommunications services to 30 June 2024.
Retail telecommunications service providers use Telstra’s copper network and other fixed line infrastructure to provide retail voice and broadband services to Australian consumers.
The six regulated, or declared, services are the unconditioned local loop service (ULLS), line sharing service (LSS), wholesale line rental (WLR), local carriage service (LCS) and fixed originating and terminating access services (FOAS and FTAS).