The Competitive Carriers’ Coalition came down hard on Telstra’s proposal for operational separation and says its move to introduce a national price of $30 for ULL represent twin attacks.

Telstra contacted its wholesale customers late last week to advise them of the new pricing regime before a review of the ULL pricing has been completed.

“Telstra has thumbed its nose at that process by writing to its wholesale customers today to tell them that it will introduce a national price of $30,” says the CCC.

A price of $30 for ULL would particularly affect broadband customers points out the CCC and would result in all Telstra wholesale partners to raise their fees by as much as $10 or more a month.

The new pricing, if it holds, could put Telstra in the enviable position as being the only provider in the market able to offer a full retail
broadband service for less than $30.

“The ACCC has indicated that Telstra is already charging too much for ULL. To increase prices further can only be seen as an act of supreme arrogance by a powerful monopolist,” CCC executive director David Forman said.

Forman didn’t stop there though; Telstra’s draft operational separation plan is “a disgrace” he claims in an official statement.

“Telstra has simply done a cut and paste on the direction it received from the Minister outlining what it must do and said trust us, we will fill in
the detail later,” Forman said. “This plan should be rejected outright and Telstra should be told to start from scratch.”

“If the legislation or Ministerial directive are not strong enough to control this behaviour, then they should be amended so Telstra is brought
under control,” said Forman.