Recommendation 7
The Universal Service
Obligation should be revised to incorporate a guarantee that customers will
always be able to obtain a dial tone (para. 7.38).
Recommendation 8
The Universal Service
Obligation should be revised to incorporate a guarantee that dial-up Internet
connections will not drop out (para. 7.39).
Recommendation 9
The Government should
require the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) to conduct an independent
inquiry into the state of repair of Telstras customer access network and the
Government should, if necessary, use its powers to direct Telstra to bring the
network up to an acceptable operational standard. As a part of the inquiry the ACA should
examine technical standards and regulations, including those relating to
preventing the ingress of water into CAN cables, and amend those standards and
regulations so as to protect the physical integrity and ensure adequate
maintenance of the customer access network (para. 7.40).
Recommendation 10
The role and powers of
the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) should be urgently reviewed and
enhanced so that it can effectively and proactively regulate the Australian
telecommunications network. In
particular the ACA should have the power to investigate the condition of the
Universal Service Provider's network and require the Universal Service Provider
to make improvements to its network where the expenditure can be justified in
the public interest. The Government
should respond promptly to the recommendations of the Department's Universal
Service Obligation and Customer Service Guarantee Review (para. 7.41).
Recommendation 11
The Government should
immediately review the operation of the customer service guarantee regime to
ensure that it provides a high level of protection for consumers and that mass
service disruption notices cannot be used by carriers to avoid their
obligations to properly maintain their networks and provide an acceptable
standard of service to consumers (para. 7.42).
Recommendation 12
The Government should
direct the Australian Communications Authority to regularly monitor the level
of faults on data services (para. 7.43).
Recommendation 13
The Committee commends
the findings of the Payphone Policy Review as it relates to services for the
disabled for close examination by the Government (para. 7.48).
Recommendation 14
The Government should
fund the establishment of an independent disabilities equipment program using
funding from the Universal Service Levy (para. 7.49).
Recommendation 15
The Government should
require carriers to engage in extensive consultations with representatives of
people with disabilities at an early stage in the planning process for the
introduction of new telecommunications technology to ensure that appropriate
disability equipment will be available in conjunction with the introduction of
new technology (para. 7.50).
Recommendation 16
The ACA should be
empowered and required to develop a comprehensive inventory of all significant
telecommunications infrastructure, including geospatial data on Telstra's
existing customer access network and mobile phone coverage, and make that information
available to other carriers and service providers, local government, and other
interested parties to facilitate planning for new infrastructure (para. 7.55).
Recommendation 17
Future Government
programs aimed at enhancing telecommunications services should be designed to
prevent Telstra from using those programs to maintain or strengthen its
dominance of the telecommunications market.
Where necessary this may involve restricting Telstra's participation in
some aspects of those programs (para. 7.56).
Recommendation 18
In contracting for
telecommunications services, government agencies and departments should be
directed to design tender processes which facilitate participation by small and
medium carriers, and to take into account the policy objective of developing a
more competitive telecommunications industry in assessing tenders (para. 7.57).
Recommendation 19
In contracting for
telecommunications services in rural and regional areas where there is limited
infrastructure competition, government agencies and departments should be
directed to participate where possible in demand aggregation arrangements with
the objective of improving the incentives for the development of competitive
infrastructure (para. 7.58).