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Telstra rivals plan assault

Telstra can expect a coordinated public assault in Melbourne tomorrow from five telecommunications carriers who have scheduled a morning briefing to to announce the formalisation of their existing alliance and the launch of a nine-point action plan.
Written by ZDNET Editors, Contributor
Telstra can expect a coordinated public assault in Melbourne tomorrow from five telecommunications carriers who have scheduled a morning briefing to to announce the formalisation of their existing alliance and the launch of a nine-point action plan.

According to notification released this week, members of the Competitive Carriers' Coalition -- including Macquarie Corporate Telecommunications (MCT), Primus, Comindico, Powertel and Hutchison -- are likely to make "strong statements" regarding Telstra's comments about fibre-to-the-home, the need for an access holiday and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) "overstepping its role".

The CCC is also expected to announce its incorporation and appointment of a dedicated executive director to drive its initiatives.

The appointee is believed to be David Forman, who most recently held the post of director, corporate affairs and regulatory, at Comindico.

Speakers at the briefing include MCT chief executive David Tudehope, Primus managing director Greg Wilson and Steve Wright, Hutchison's director of stakeholder relations.

The plan is expected to address issues such as a revised policy and regulatory framework and structural reform.

Telstra boss Ziggy Switkowski recently told ABC's Inside Business program about the ACCC: "We need a regulator who regulates, doesn't move too far beyond that, is trying to set new policy or anticipate industry structures.

"And my sense is the ACCC are moving in that direction and I don't think that's where they belong".

Telstra recently announced its plans for its next-generation access technology commercial pilot of fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) on Queensland's Gold Coast later this year. The AU$700 million development covers 200 hectares and more than 1400 residences.

Telstra is anticipating that FTTP would be added to Telstra's range of access technologies to be selectively deployed by commercial negotiation to new estates and multi-dwelling unit developments over the next 4 to 7 years.

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