The article is shamelessly ripped from WHIRLPOOL

Telstra's competitors will now be able to offer ADSL over the copper loop network at a price set by the competition regulator.

The ACCC yesterday siezed control of pricing for copper access, making it a "declared service".

The move was welcomed by Optus, which has been pushing for the ACCC to regulate the service. Line sharing allows one phone company to offer voice services over the copper line, with another (such as Optus) offering ADSL on the same line.

"Optus is continuing to explore its options for residential DSL. Today's announcement certainly helps to create a positive climate," said Optus' Paul Fletcher.

The development is important for competition because it opens the possibility of competitors building competing residential ADSL networks to Telstra's own ADSL network.

Currently, all residential ADSL ISPs use Telstra's ADSL access to connect customers to their ISP network. As a result, they are forced to pay high prices to Telstra for the ADSL access, and speeds are limited to 1.5Mbit per second.

Telstra responded furiously to the decision, saying it was not what the market wanted, and the ACCC was wrong to assume "it takes three to tango."

The ACCC said the majority of submissions it received supported declaration of line sharing.

Wow. That's some interesting news.

It is. Finally Telstra may be beginning to get the message that customers arn't herds of livestock milling around mindlessly waiting to hand money over like cows.

O.K. that was a poor analogy. But still, serves the bastards right.

All the A.C.C.C has to do now is confiscate the rest of Telstra's well abused powers, distribute them fairly and fix all the other f***ed up s*** Telstra has done over the years.

Isn't it funny how the spin-doctors work though.
They announce a profit of 3.5 billion, though down from last time, they still pass the news on like it's a tragedy, to justify the next bombing run of customer shaftings to raise the profits for shareholders.

*Denny watches his stock portfolio crumble*

it woulda started crumbling a year ago i woulda thought

*shrugs*

I love the ACCC, they actually fight for the consumers. There arnt that many large organisations that do that nowadays.

There probably are, but the media likes to focus on stuff that is irritating and such.

For once ACCC got off they're arses. Props to ACCC that they didn't do it sooner.

Thats what it was created to do.

What for them to sit on their arses until the whole australian population complains about something. Then they might consider some form of action to reslove it.

Something wrong with that?

What I am saying is look at the volume of complaints about telstra that ACCC has recived over the years and its only now that they have decieded to do something about it. But late not that its a bad thing but should have done it sooner.

This is most certainly good news. Like the thread title says, the ACCC have finally come through.

sifn't promote to news item.

There's one thing I dont get - in the SMH article, it says

Telstra's rivals will be able to offer high-speed Internet services over its copper network on terms and prices set by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, after the ACCC decision yesterday to declare line-sharing services.

The Federal Government welcomed the decision, saying it would advance the development of competition in the broadband market and the introduction of broadband services.

The Federal Govt owns 51% of Telstra. If they 'welcome' the move, why didnt they institute it themselves?

They cant veto decisions made by Telstra. I suppose they have a controlling interest, but they dont set Telstra policy.

Telstra responded furiously to the decision, saying it was not what the market wanted.

Of course, we want to keep getting reamed in the arse!

the market like being bent over, why do you think we have so many customers. And our tech support is never here because they are help the kiddies porn phone sex lines...

because tahts telstras main fundrasier.

Nats: the goverment would be welcoming it becuase it is another step toward enabling them to sell of Telstra completely. As long as Telstra had a stranglehold on the copper network then they had far too much power.

This sounds all nice and rosey but when will it actualy fall through?

I'd probably feel really stupid if I'd bought Telstra shares - would have been nice in a non-deregulated market, but now its just getting worse and worse. I want to see the federal government buy back its shares! The voters would love it! At least, the ones that didn't buy shares.

It all depends on what side of the fence each individual/group sits on really. Simple peasants like my- self who just use the service and nothing more get overcharged and overshafted, and get provided with bareboned product (no frills - just barely working).

Shareholders are quite happy to take a little shafting because they know the dividends will be sweet.

The Government is generating massive profits from Telstra which is why they continue to let the shaftings (3gig,wholesale pricing dillemas,BPA price increases, etc etc) go on, but on the surface must appear to be concerned with the general users views. *cough* Alston - my god what a joke.

Also, a lot of groups/companies are in bed with Telstra and have their hands tied due to possible withdrawal of financial support/sponsorship.

Summary - it's a completely f***ed up Liberal government supporting a disgustingly capitalist monopolistic corporation until something pops under the pressure ie. Us.

isnt it ironic that the goverment is meant to be a representation of the people/taxpayers yet they are shafting us through telstra as they feel ?