Advanced Search

Share Coverage



Category: Internet Technology / Electricity Energy and Utilities / State Parliament

Tasmanian Opposition calls for ACCC probe into Basslink repairs

Sunday, 13 Mar 2016 15:46:40 | Lucy Shannon

Basslink severed the undersea cable for repairs. (Supplied: Basslink)

Tasmanian Opposition Leader Bryan Green has called on the ACCC to urgently investigate issues around access to Telstra's undersea cable, saying he does not want to see "businesses being gouged" as major internet interruptions continue in Tasmania.

Some internet service providers had to move to Telstra's fibre-optic cable on Friday when the undersea Basslink cable was severed for repairs.

Others did not move their service, including iiNet, Internode and Netspace — all owned by TPG.

A Basslink spokesman said a package deal offered by Telstra last month for all its ISPs to temporarily use Telstra services was "completely uncommercial".

"I'm calling on the ACCC to look at how the whole question of access to optic fibre is being managed across Bass Strait," Mr Green said.

"We know that there is in fact capacity for everyone to maintain the same speed ... my view is that we need to have appropriate supervision of how access is being provided."

When asked by the ABC about the terms it was offering ISPs to use its cable, a spokesman for Telstra said: "We have two undersea cables between Tasmania and the mainland."

"There is capacity on our cables for our retail and wholesale customers to use and we are working with our wholesale customers to provide them with the capacity they have requested."

After being flooded with complaints and receiving phone calls from Information Technology Minister Michael Ferguson, TPG has now promised it will secure more bandwidth by Thursday.

On the question of fair access, Mr Ferguson said the market was regulated.

"As a Government Minister I'm not going to place myself between parties — they need to negotiate a commercial arrangement that works for all — but it is a regulated market," he said

Customers should demand a remedy: Choice

Consumer group Choice has encouraged customers experiencing poor internet service to seek compensation.

Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey said there was no excuse for the poor service.

"Although we can understand that it is out of their control, they are selling internet services and internet access," he said.

"It's a pretty simple thing, and they have to make sure you're able to access the internet and under Australian consumer law, if you're selling that service and you can't deliver it then the consumer has a right to a remedy."

Mr Godfrey said it was important for consumers to keep a log of internet interruptions.

The ACCC has been contacted for comment.

AustraliaPlus


 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend