Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, in writing, on 21 March 2011:

In respect of the statement by Mr Mike Quigley, Chief Executive Officer, NBN Co. Limited, that NBN Co. Limited has an arrangement with Telstra for it to provide voice only services to end users for $24 (Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, 22 February 2011, page 131),

(a) will this arrangement apply only to customers who as at the time of transfer from Telstra's copper network to the National Broadband Network, were Telstra voice only customers;

(b) what arrangements will exist for customers who wish to take a new voice only service from Telstra because, for example, they have moved house or were previously customers of another telecommunications provider;

(c) given that this retail price of $24 will involve Telstra incurring a loss, will Telstra receive payment from NBN Co. Limited (or another party such as government) for all such customers; and

(d) will these arrangements reduce competition in the voice only market, as other retail operators will be unable to match Telstra's retail price without incurring a loss.

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

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

(a), (b), (c), (d) These matters concern commercial-in-confidence information which are currently subject to negotiations between Telstra and NBN Co Limited. However, NBN Co Limited is able to confirm that the statement by the CEO is correct and is reflected in the detail of these commercial arrangements between Telstra and the company.