Telstra Submits Revised Separation Plan

Telstra submitted a revised structural separation undertaking to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission as part of its 11 billion Australian dollar (US$11.18 billion) deal with NBN Co., the company rolling out Australia's A$36 billion nationwide high-speed Internet network.

The plan, which separates Telstra's wholesale and retail divisions, requires the commission's approval. "We have taken on board the feedback and we believe the revised SSU provides the interim arrangements the industry requires as it transitions to the structurally separated model provided by the National Broadband Network," Telstra Chief Executive David Thodey said. While welcoming the revisions, the ACCC said in a statement that there remained outstanding regulatory concerns in relation to Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line high-speed Internet services. The ACCC said it was now giving "urgent consideration" to initiating a public inquiry into the provision of wholesale ADSL services under competition laws, which would require carriers and carriage service providers to comply with standard access obligations.