A PYMNTS Company

Australia: $1.6 billion Telstra deal with NBN company raises fears with regulator

By  |  April 11, 2016

A deal worth $1.6 billion between Telstra and the company building the national broadband network has raised competition concerns.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says it has several concerns about the telco’s agreement with NBN Co.

Among them, it that Telstra “may receive a competitive advantage if it has access to better information than other service providers”.

The ACCC was also worried Telstra would be able to use NBN infrastructure before it was available to competitors, commission chairman Rod Sims said.

“We are looking at the parties’ proposals carefully to consider to what extent these proposals address our concerns,” Mr Sims said yesterday.

“It is important that Telstra doesn’t get a headstart selling retail services over the NBN just because its technical expertise is being used in the construction and maintenance of the NBN.”

Full content: ABC

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.