Broadband: Crisis in the bush: Insight - Communications

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Broadband: Crisis in the bush

By Compiled by ZDNet Australia, ZDNet Australia
November 09, 2005
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/insight/communications/soa/Broadband-Crisis-in-the-bush/0,139023754,139221474,00.htm

The nation's third-largest Internet Service Provider iiNet yesterday signalled a retreat from providing broadband services to the bush, laying the blame squarely on Telstra.

According to iiNet, it has been unable to attain "realistic pricing" from Telstra's wholesale division, but the latter tells a different tale -- it's essentially the ACCC's fault.

Policies by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission could effectively abolish any competition between ISPs in rural areas, Telstra believes.

Latest coverage:
iiNet's bush retreat a solo ploy ... for now
Several of the nation's largest broadband sellers today said they had no intention of imitating competitor iiNet and suspending the sale of services to new customers in regional markets, although Telstra's wholesale pricing remains a worry.
09 November 2005 03:55 PM

iiNet's bush departure just the first: Telstra
iiNet is set to be the first of many Internet Service Providers to cut back on the sale of ADSL-based broadband services to the bush unless the competition regulator backs down on its planned wholesale pricing policy, the nation's largest telco said.
08 November 2005 03:51 PM

iiNet abandons bush broadband
The nation's third-largest Internet Service Provider has ceased signing up ADSL customers in regional areas in protest over claims of unrealistic pricing by Telstra's wholesale division.
08 November 2005 02:11 PM

Previous coverage:
Competition forces BigPond to slash prices
BigPond will cut prices drastically from Friday for customers that sign up for a combined 24-month telephone and broadband contract.
03 November 2005 01:43 PM

Is Telstra a backhaul monopolist?
Yes, says iiNet, and the telco giant's price chains are keeping smaller players from venturing down the rural broadband route.
09 August 2005 09:07 AM