Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

(1) Under the framework for Telstra's structural separation, Telstra's migration plan will provide for the progressive disconnection of Telstra's copper network and the broadband capability of its hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) network as the wholesale-only NBN Co fibre network is rolled out.

(2) According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Communications Report 2009–10, as at June 2010, there are 8.66m Telstra standard fixed-line telephone services in operation (p.30). This figure includes services provided over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and other fixed-line technologies. It also includes both retail, including residential and business, and wholesale services.

According to the NBN Co Limited's Corporate Plan 2011–13, the number of subscribers on Telstra's HFC network is 0.4m (p.42).

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Internet Activity Survey (IAS), as at December 2010, there were a total of 24,000 fibre access connections in Australia. This figure includes connections provided on Telstra fibre networks and other fibre access provider networks. The IAS can be found at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/8153.0/.

(3) The definitive agreements provide for the progressive disconnection of Telstra's copper network and the broadband capability of its HFC network as the wholesale-only NBN Co fibre network is rolled out.

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