The rule relates to imputation testing on retail services using Telstra's core wholesale services. Imputation testing is used to assist in detecting an anti-competitive price squeeze in a retail market.
A price squeeze could occur where Telstra reduces the margin between retail and wholesale prices to a level that inhibits competition.
ACCC Commissioner Ed Willett, said the draft rule updates a rule that the ACCC issued last year.
"At that time, the ACCC foreshadowed the issuing of a revised rule that would require Telstra to report on the retail ADSL service. The purpose of this is to determine whether those providers using the unconditioned local loop service, which is a wholesale service used to gain direct access to Telstra's copper network, would be able to viably provide broadband services," Willett said.
He added that the draft rule is different from the ACCC's investigation into wholesale ADSL pricing, which is currently subject to a Competition Notice.
"That investigation relates to the retail pricing of the service for competitors who resell Telstra's ADSL wholesale service," Willett clarified.
The ACCC said comments on the draft rule will close on 22 September.
The ACCC is a spineless jellyfish in the ICT industry.
Why on earth aren't they busting Microsoft's **** for forcing vendors like HP, Dell, IBM and Acer to ship OEM Windows with their desktops and laptops, so than no other platform has a chance to compete in that space?
Have you actually tried to buy a laptop from a tier 1 vendor, without being forced to buy a copy of Windows as well?
ZDNet journalists? You around? Why aren't you busting the ACCC's **** asking for a response to this anti-competitive situation? This is costing Australian industry far more than whatever the hell Telstra is doing.