CommsWire - 5 August 2016

ACCC?s comms sector market study to be completed in 2017 The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chairman Rod Sims has announced that the ACCC?s ?next market study will focus on the Australian communications sector.? USO should include data services: ACCAN

National Broadband Network

The National Broadband Network is a focus of the June 2016 issue with four papers providing an insight into the nation?s largest infrastructure project. A historical paper on vibration measurement highlights how times have changed as the telecommunications networks evolve The Government?s review of the Universal Service Obligation has commenced with the Productivity Commission being tasked to inquire into how the universal service obligation might be updated to meet current and future needs.

CommsWire - 14 July 2016

The Productivity Commission and the USO Will it tackle the $300m pa paid to Telstra for the USO? OSSii agreement renewed and extended by Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia In order to ?make the integration of mobile network management systems easier,? the top three global telecom equipment makers have renewed their OSSii agreement. Megaport partners with Cologix in US, Canadian markets

CommsWire - 20 May 2016

Federal Police raid Labor Party offices over NBN documents leak; IA wants telco USO regs changed to include consumer rights to data access; Virgin Mobile Australia outages ? 18 and 19 May; Business Council joins expanding IoT Alliance Australia; Speedcast, Airbus team up on satellite ground station; NextDC prepares for second Melbourne data centre; Satellite operator SES does major deal with Indonesian satellite telco.

The Rationale for Universal Access to Digital Services

This paper presents a position and identifies future research necessary to support the transition from the universal service regime to a universal access regime that enshrines the principle of ensuring that federal, state and local egovernment and other specified digital services are reasonably accessible to all, on an equitable basis, wherever they work or live.

CommsWire - 24 February 2016

Government to review USO, Vodafone welcomes the move; Qantas FINALLY bringing fast, free inflight Wi-Fi to Aussie skies from 'early' 2017; Telstra strengthens internal security with Darktrace; Foxtel says new Broadband plans respond to consumers wanting more & more; The people have their say at telecoms Meet the People Forum; Govt flags changes to telco consumer safeguards; Megaport, Akamai seal global CDN deal; Former US solicitor-general to defend Apple against FBI.

CommsWire - 19 February 2016

Move USO to mobile carriers says Infrastructure Australia; iPhone 6S helps increase Optus share of postpaid market; NextDC cashed up and set up for strong growth; Spark ?nearing? No1 mantle in NZ mobile revenues; A strong 6 months sees Telstra keep mobile competitors at bay; Apple won?t give the keys to its orchard to anyone; Optus, Electrotech all at sea with ferry Internet connections.

Contactability framework for the delivery of universal services

The USO ensures access to voice communication services for all Australians. The obligation has changed very little in comparison to the telecommunications market and consumers? use of services. This presents a number of gaps and risks for consumers, such as data and mobile services. However, updating the obligation to include these services alone will likely fail consumers. This paper argues for a new framework based on a principle of contactability. This new framework will have four key areas...

Who are you going to call?

This paper draws upon a research paper prepared for the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). The focus of this paper is on the best way to provide every adult with universally available, accessible, affordable and empowering communications. Special attention is given to affordability, leading to a litmus test of an affordable broadband tariff. The paper proposes two options for delivering universal service objectives in future. One does not require any carrier to be...

Better telecommunications services for all Australians

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) scheme in Australia today is 25 years old. This paper shows how the current USO entrenches an annual subsidy of some $300M to Telstra. The current expensive USO scheme is inadequate and in the light of modern developments in broadband and mobile. The paper reviews the approach taken to across the world and draws lessons for a way forward to establish a Universal Service Fund (USF) where the NBN is the Universal Infrastructure wholesale provider with...