ACCC: How Telstra blocks ADSL2

Telstra has asked to be fined $4 million for mistakenly excluding competitors' broadband servers from telephone exchanges over two years, instead of the $40 million being sought by the competition watchdog.

The telecommunications giant argues poor supervision rather than a deliberate corporate policy allowed Telstra Wholesale staff to reject applications from competitors who wanted to install ADSL2+ broadband equipment in Telstra exchanges, even though there was enough space for the equipment.

The ACCC claims Telstra indulged in anti-competitive behaviour when it rejected 27 applications from competitors at seven different exchanges between January 2006 and February 2008, and has asked Justice John Middleton to set a fine for Telstra.

Telstra remains the only service able to provide ADSL2 at the Katoomba exchange in the Blue Mountains. Is their simply no room there for other service providers equipment?

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