Communications

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is well placed to deal with the many issues flowing from the continuing communications industry revolution, Chairman Rod Sims said today.

In a speech to the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce in Brisbane, Mr Sims said Australia is fortunate that the ACCC is the combined competition, consumer and communications economic regulator.

"Different organisations with different roles would clearly trip over each other as they sought to regulate their part of the communications industry." 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today directed Telstra to improve two measures that will support the migration of customers onto the National Broadband Network (NBN).

These measures relate to a specific process that will be used by NBN Co in limited circumstances to connect premises to the NBN. In some cases, NBN Co may need to use an existing copper or HFC line to pull the NBN fibre through the conduit that leads from the street to the premises to connect that premise to the NBN.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Telecommunications Reports 2011–12, tabled today in Parliament, show consumers continue to benefit through falling prices for telecommunication services.

Prices paid by consumers for telecommunications services fell by 2.2 per cent in real terms in 2011 12. Prices are now almost 20 per cent lower than they were in 2006-07.