Archive | Telstra RSS feed for this section

ACCC rejects Telstra ULL undertaking

By on 29 April 2009 in General, Telstra, Trade Practices Act

thirtyThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) yesterday announced it had rejected Telstra’s undertaking to charge competitors a $30 monthly fee to access ULL in metropolitan areas.

ACCC expressed surprise that Telstra’s $30 application worked out to be higher than the previous proposal of $30 for metropolitan areas, which was rejected in 2006.

Continue Reading →

Share
Comments { 0 }

ACCC calls Telstra a liar over ‘full’ exchanges

By on 19 March 2009 in Telstra, Trade Practices Act

accc-bustACCC today filed an application in the Federal Court for orders against Telstra, claiming it has wrongfully denied competitors access to parts of its network.

According to ACCC, Telstra told other ISPs that it was all out of MDF capacity in seven key city exchanges.  So sorry, but you just can’t interconnect here.  Says ACCC: That was untrue, and you’ve breached section 52 of the Trade Practices Act by engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct.

ACCC also says Telstra has breached its licence terms and its ‘standard access obligations’.  The regulator wants financial penalties, declarations of wrongdoing and court injunctions.

Continue Reading →

Share
Comments { 1 }

Another amigo says adios to Telstra

By on 22 January 2009 in General, Telstra

sombreroTelstra COO Greg Winn, one of Sol Trujillo’s famous amigos, is hitting the trail and heading back to Arizona.

The departure was announced on Telstra’s corporate website this morning and follows the repatriation of fellow amigo and former Telstra public relations chief Phil Burgess, for personal reasons, last August.

Widely respected for steering the business through important IT transformations, Winn is one of the few Telstra execs on mega-salaries who may prove worth it in the long run.

Interestingly, he won’t be replaced:

Mr Winn’s position as COO will not be filled.  Instead, most of his direct reports will report to Mr Trujillo.

While many are commenting that it’s odd for the post not to be re-filled, we think the reason is obvious.   It would probably take several months for Trujillo to locate and lock in his perfect replacement.  And if Trujillo himself wasn’t to remain at Telstra for many more months, would his successor be all that pleased to inherit the last amigo’s idea of the perfect COO ?

Share
Comments { 0 }

Telstra predicts monopoly in the skies

By on 21 January 2009 in New laws, Telstra, Trade Practices Act

toy-planeACMA today amended the Mobile Phone Jammer Prohibition in a step towards in-flight mobile phone services in Australian airspace.

The Prohibition basically outlaws selling, using or possessing mobile phone jamming equipment.  Today’s amendment creates an exception for devices that will lock mobiles on aircraft out of the standard GSM range and force them to use a transmission relay service installed in the plane.

Telstra agrees that in-flight calls would be a good thing, but reckons the new law does little but create a service monopoly for the operators of Cellular RF Management Units (CRFMUs) that force handsets to roam onto mini-mobile phone cells in the skies, and risks waves of call drop outs on the ground as aircraft fly over terrestrial GSM towers.

Continue Reading →

Share
Comments { 0 }

ACCC scores LSS win over Telstra

By on 23 September 2008 in Telstra, Trade Practices Act

The Federal Court has backed the ACCC’s processes for determining fair competitor access pricing for Telstra’s Line Sharing Service (‘LSS’).

After getting answers it didn’t like from the ACCC’s access dispute arbitration process, Telstra attacked the process itself.

ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel said: ‘The ACCC has always taken a thorough, robust and transparent approach to disputes brought before it. These decisions have now been subjected to detailed scrutiny on multiple grounds of review, and the Federal Court has found that they have passed muster on all but one small point.’

It’s good news for CSPs that want access to the LSS.

Share
Comments { 0 }

Phil Burgess exits Telstra

By on 18 August 2008 in Telstra

Phil Burgess, one of Sol Trujillo’s famous ‘amigos’ has announced his return to the States at the end of August 2008.

In three years as Telstra’s main spokesperson, Burgess won respect for his fierce prosecution of Telstra’s positions.  He also drove us to distraction with his one-sided rhetoric.

Here’s a report from my ‘Hands On’ AFR column on one of Burgess’ classic efforts in March 2007.

Continue Reading →

Share
Comments { 0 }