Communications Minister Helen Coonan plans to change Telstra’s licensing conditions to keep the CDMA network open, amid fears in the country that the Telstra Next G network will not have equal or better coverage than the network it replaces.
The CDMA network is a primary form of communication in the bush, often the only network that has coverage in remote parts of the country. Telstra set January 28 next year as the closure date for CDMA.
Telstra chief Sol Trujillo made a commitment to federal Nationals a year ago that the company would not switch off the CDMA network until it new Next G network provided comparable coverage.
Senator Coonan says serious questions have been raised in the bush about the Next G roll-out. And the Nationals last weekend called for the CDMA network to be maintained.
The Minister said she had written to Telstra six weeks ago asking that they delay the CDMA network closure beyond January. They declined.
Instead, Senator Coonan has issued a draft licensing condition that will ultimately force the company to keep CDMA operational.
Senator Coonan said that she had heard first hand about the rising level of consumer concern regarding mobile phone coverage.
“I have just spent the last six weeks on the road across Australia and based on the level of frustration in the community, it is clear that this issue needs Telstra’s urgent and genuine attention.
“The Government’s hand has been forced by Telstra’s inaction on consumers’ concerns.”
The fact that relations between government and Telstra are so poisonous are only complicated by the fact it is an election year, and communications in the bush remains a hot-button issue.
Senator Coonan also announced that Government has set up a hotline to let phone users in the bush report Next G problems, a move that can only antagonise a company already
“(The hotline) will ensure that consumers are able to report any problems they are experiencing with the switch to Next G,” Senator Coonan said.
“Consumers will be able to provide feedback on performance and service issues with the Next G network which will be invaluable in assessing whether and when Telstra has met its public commitments on coverage and service equivalence,” she said
The Next G Customer Support Group will also perform an independent audit of Telstra’s point-of-sale advice and product availability.
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