Southwards.
And so ends the Competitive Carriers Coalition presser. I’ll post links to any relevant stuff this afternoon under the #cccau hashtag.
Q: Why would Telstra cooperate with infrastructure sharing? A (Murrow): They get smaller share, but of a bigger pie. #cccau
A (from Malone): Cites a study that has shown direct linkage of broadband speeds to productivity improvements. Will get link later. #cccau
A (from Murrow): Wider market for apps improves individual productivity, distributed call centres more appealing, stuff yet unknown. #cccau
Q: That $12 billion productivity improvement mentioned before. Where does that come from? #cccau
Complex point about ACCC’s role in ensuring Telstra’s structural separation is implemented well. Watch for @joshgnosis’ story, his Q. #cccau
The idea of shared infrastructure [cell towers] would help address this. #cccau
Complex point about Telstra getting USO funds [?] to expand in the bush, so the “choice” ends up being Telstra or Telstra. #cccau
A (from Forman): Both, there’s both structural and regulatory issues to address. #cccau
Q: To get to the nub, to level the playing field, are you appealing the govt or ACCC or both #cccau
Trying to not say something snarky about @R_Chirgwin and @Stuartcorner and old blokes talking about the past at length. #cccau
Morrow: Aim is to give customers choice. “NBN is a vehicle to do that, but not the only one.” #cccau
Malone notes last election was NBN vs no NBN. This year it’s NBN vs different NBN, “and that’s a good thing”. #cccau
The theme of the earlier part of the Q&A was really a call for full structural separation of Telstra. (Sorry, was having my coffee.) #cccau
What Telstra knows about retailers’ customers, a handout from David Tudehope, CEO, Macquarie Telecom. http://t.co/Y5zW1glYEp #cccau
RT @leslienassar: So it’s basically the same briefing they’ve given every year since 2008? #cccau [@Australia journo just made that point.]
The four gentlemen of the CCC #cccau instagram.com/p/bANivzCFp_/
The Competitive Carriers Coalition presser is now into Q&A. I’ll only tweet the highlights. #cccau
Tudehope finishes by noting the NBN will take years to unfold, so that’s the timeframe. #cccau
Tudehope notes that Telstra uses customer data they hold as wholesale provider to advantage their retail operations. Must stop. #cccau
Conduct that needs review: sign-on bonuses, tech funds, bundling across services, exclusive deals that tie new with old services. #cccau
Tudehope notes the usual trends affecting the industry. Move to data, data move to cloud, everything move to mobility, #cccau
Up now, David Tudehope, CEO, Macquarie Telecom. #cccau
Long-term strategic agenda? NBN-industry co-investment to prevent duplication, smarter investments, e.g. USO funds to infrastructure. #cccau
Example of collaboration is sharing cell towers in an open way. #cccau
Morrow calls for a review of transmission and backhaul prices, greater industry collaboration, greater role for NBN. #cccau
Morrow: “From my point of view the objective is to reach as many Australians as possible with the best price and competition.” #cccau
Morrow says he’s a huge supporter of the NBN, it’s a “bold step”, but is technology-agnostic. #cccau
Morrow sites research that if this is handled the right way there’d be a $12 billion boost to productivity. #cccau
“The country is at a crossroads,” says Morrow. This is an “opportunity to take advantage of the digital revolution.” #cccau
There’s now more Australia users accessing the internet via mobile devices than fixed line. #cccau
Mobile phone penetration is now at 137%, highest-penetarion smartphone market in the world. #cccau
Up now, Bill Morrow, CEO, Vodafone Hutchison Australia. #cccau
Customers in regional areas have least capacity to pay (lower incomes), but broadband costs are the highest. “That needs to change.” #cccau
Malone is showing a chart of their actual gross margins on the different products. (I hope we get soft copies of this.) #cccau
“Australian market saddled by artificial constraints to competition. Wholesale market is gamed at every step. Prices are still high.” #cccau
Regulated network access wholesale prices mean there’s very little spread of pricing options. Transparency lacking. #cccau
Research says customers want choice, lower prices and innovation, but don’t necessarily go to the cheapest. #cccau
Lots of numbers and charts now. Alas, I don’t have copies, hard or soft. #cccau
Malone notes that Telstra’s market share was falling, but has “bounced back”. #cccau
Up now, Michael Malone, CEO, iiNet. Primarily residential broadband, only 20% of iiNet’s revenue comes from B2B. #cccau
“Testra retains unparalleled integration and market power”, so today presenting proposals for reform over the next few years. #cccau
Fall in price for internet services os 2.7% was the smallest drop in 5 years. Cause? Structural problems… #cccau
Average real prices for fixed voice services down 4.9% in 2011-12, 7.3% slower than in 2010-11. #cccau
Improvements are slowing, not speeding up. Line rentals prices fell 1.4% in 2011-12, after falling 4.2% in 2010-11. #cccau
Australians continue to pay the highest prices in OECD for basic call services. #cccau
Australia continues to fall on “global broadband league table”, in broadband penetration and price drops. #cccau
Intro by David Forman, Gm Telecommunications, CPR Communications. #cccau
… and Michael Malone, CEO, iiNet. I’ve just noticed that other folks are using the #ccc hashtag for something else. I’ll switch to #cccau
At Competitive Carriers Coalition presser: David Tudehope, CEO, Macquarie Telecom; Bill Morrow, CEO, Vodafone Hutchison Australia… #ccc
And here is your topic. #ccc instagram.com/p/bAH79TCFgA/
Final preparations for the CCC presser. I shall tag stuff #ccc, I think. instagram.com/p/bAHvQriFvt/
False hope instagram.com/p/bAHMRPCFux/
Oh good. I forgot my toothbrush and stuff. Fucking up things at both ends of the spectrum. Win.
I have the sneaking suspicion that that plan will collapse on itself, simple though it looks.
Wed plan: Stare at wall (done); 1030 Competitive Carriers Coalition presser, North Sydney; write something this arvo; evening TBA.
jturner_ibrs The best #snowden film wouldn’t need an actor to portray him.
It would focus on people and events around him.
Metadata
This is all being more complicated than I’d imagined at the beginning of the week.
I see @lukehopewell posted that snippet of parliament arguing about expensive copper wire in 1910. http://t.co/xoxgqdbvBR
Wed plan, draft: Tackle comms backlog; 1030 Competitive Carriers Coalition presser, North Sydney; write something this arvo; evening TBA.
Oh.