New telco infrastructure laws

The Australian Government has recently consulted on a draft package of legislation that will implement a range of reforms in the telecommunications sector. These reforms will change the regulatory regime applying to superfast broadband infrastructure, implementing some of the recommendations from the 2014 Vertigan review, the Independent cost-benefit analysis of broadband and review of regulation.

In short, the proposed reforms will:

• amend Parts 7 and 8 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth), to clarify the structural separation arrangements under which superfast broadband infrastructure providers operate;
• impose 'Statutory Infrastructure Provider' obligations on NBN Co (and potentially other infrastructure providers in limited areas), requiring the provision of a broadband infrastructure connection to all Australians on request, irrespective of where they live; and